aprilrose, if 'equality, diversity and multiculturalism' are 'political impositions' and left wing (to you) it makes me wonder what you'd have instead?
This is just my opinion from personal experience. Equality is an ideal. You cannot have it because people are not equal. Some have better brains, some have great athletic ability, time are good at maths and others languages. Some people have more wealth than others , better jobs etc. We are not all equal.
We could try and treat all people equally but that doesnt work either mainly because of the factors I mentioned above. Some have better access to legal authorities than others. Some have better homes than others. Some have better brains and can think their way through things than others. That creates more inequality. All societies have always had inequalities.
If you want to apply the ideal then you need to have us all living in identical apartments on uniform streets, all earning the same no matter what our job ( or no job) etc. You could do that. In fact that is the socialist dream. That we are all the same whether a doctor or a call centre operative. We all earn the same, get the same welfare benefits and live exactly the same lives. In fact we could all be allocated work according to the needs of society and no choices at all. They did that in China at one point. That would be equal but dull and not very pleasant if you are a skilled doctor and are asked to work in the sewage works whilst the person in the sewage works gets to practice surgery.
But I cannot see any motivation or incentive for living in a life like that. If we will all get the same , why bother to work at all. But I wouldn't have a choice. In socialism you do as you are told. In fact where I live I know many people on benefits who will say precisely that and have said it to me. That poor economic foresight on their parts because someone has to make the money that keeps them. But they have a point I think at times. That time is usually at 5:00 am when I am going out of the house and wont be back for twelve hours and I know that my wages are little higher than their benefits. Equality is an ideal but not very workable. There will always be people who can work the system whatever the system.
Diversity seems to me to be the opposite of equality. It seems to be a mechanism where people can trade their difference to gain advantage in society or the workplace. I know where I live those who come from minority groups often get better treatment or are pushed up the lists one way or another. I suppose it is no different to the old way of working where nepotism was rife. When my father started work for example, his brothers and father got him in where they worked. Today we dont do that. Instead we fill quota's with people who fit the bill by being from certain groups. Its not about ability , or how well you do the job, just are you one of the protected groups we need to give special consideration to. There is no equality in giving special consideration to others because they have some characteristic the majority do not have. I am not against people getting jobs regardless of colour, creed , race, gender or disability or whatever I have missed out there, if they can prove they are the best for the job. Otherwise it seems to leave many people feeling they have not been treated fairly ( let alone equally). I believe in a place where people get jobs, houses or anything else according to their abilities and needs, not some arbitrary characteristic.
Multiculturalism is a big thing with me. It has created so many divides where I live. There are no go areas around me. There are ghettos and enclaves of people who belong to one culture or sub culture. They live their own lives and I am supposed to accept it, yet, when I want to go and live somewhere with people like me I get told that is worng and I have to accept other cultures. I seem to have to be the one who has to change my ways for others. I know lots of people who have become very angry at this . That seems to be another inequality. It has been flash-point time most weekends with different groups meeting on the street and bust ups. A lot of it is fueled by the perception ( right or wrong and I know some would say it is wrong) that some groups are getting treated better than they are because those groups are given special treatment, better treatment, they are allowed to have their culture where others are not and so it goes on and on and people get angry with each other. Its all fueled by allowing too many differences and a victim culture. There seems to be nothing we share.
When there is a lot of competition and not very much to be had, people start to look closely at who is getting what. Equality is a fine ideal when there is a lot to go around. However, diversity and multi - culturalism are counterproductive to it when there is little. That's why it doesn't work for many communities, including where I live.
Equality, diversity and multiculturalism are fine media and political soundbites but they do not work.
What would I like instead? A world where despite all inequalities I could live, bring up my family and not have to be bombarded by the ineffective soundbites and politics. Somewhere I can be free. Free to do as I want ( as long as I do not commit murder) and to say what I think and not have to watch my words all the time.
Thank you for reading.
. As it is, I'm putting you and your posts in the WUM box.