There is no doubt that the human gene pool
displays exuberant genetic variation; this is normal for a sexual
species. Even small isolated populations contain a large percentage
of the total variability, emphasizing the basic genetic unity of
our species. As humankind spread across the world from its African
source, the genetic basis for humanity's unique mental acuity was
retained everywhere. Nevertheless, some geographical genetic
variation such as skin colour, stature and physiognomy was
established. These changes were biologically relatively
insignificant. It is our great cultural diversity that is regarded
as an evolutionary asset.
Although our
cultural diversity is still strong, it is perhaps only a fraction
of what it was, say, 10,000 years ago, when agriculturists moved
out of Mesopotamia and replaced hunter-gatherer cultures in Europe
and elsewhere, extinguishing languages in the process. There are
only about 50 languages spoken in Europe today. If it hadn't
been for the advance of the agriculturists, we would probably have
greater linguistic diversity in Europe, and probably greater
cultural diversity too.
Today, from Manila
to Miami, people seem to eat the same foods, watch the same films,
and drive the same cars. Languages are being lost at a rate of one
per day. Yet you can walk down a street in Manhattan and find
three generations of Italian speakers. Walk a few blocks more, and
people are speaking Chinese. The cultural differences in Manhattan
seem to be stable. To what extent are these differences a
resource for the progress of humanist. According to Samuel
Betances education universalizes the human spirit. You cannot be
universalized if you are only in one world, the world of your
ethnic group, the world of your neighbourhood, the world of your
religion, or the world of your family. The word
‘university’ is related to this idea. Our lives are
enhanced when we understand and appreciate many worlds. It has been
said that if you gain a new language, you gain a new world. I
believe that the reverse is also true: if you lose a language, you
lose a world. When our spirit is universalized, we can cross
boundaries and feel comfortable in other worlds. We can teach and
learn from others in a mutually supportive effort to acquire a
profound respect for the human condition.
All populations carry extensive genetic variation
due to genes that encode variations in quantitative traits. Of
greatest importance among these is ubiquitous polygenic variability
in brain function and intelligence. Mental acuity is what sets us
apart from the rest of the biological world. Throughout our
history, genetic recombination among the many genes involved in
brain function has occurred. This has provided a genetic basis for
the action of natural selection that favors intelligence in meeting
the demands of the environment. As environments change in the
future, this type of genetic variability will continue to be a
crucial resource.
It is argued that
our cultural evolution is driven in large part by a desire to
control resources. Essentially we drawing a ring around oiurselves
to define a personal territory and exclude others from occupying
it. That leads to different cultures arising through the usual
processes of diversification and drifting apart when they're
isolated from each other. Unless tempted financially to move
and assimilate into a new culture, most people prefer to stay where
they are and continue doing what they have always done. It's the
natural tendency for cultures to be quite cohesive and exclusive
that we want to draw attention to. This is reinforced by social
behaviours that favor living in small groups, such as rewarding
cooperation, punishing those who deviate from the norms, and being
wary of outsiders. In trying to control resources and excluding
others from using them, humans have developed sophisticated group
behaviors such as hunting … and warfare. These
behaviours require enormous amounts of cooperation,
coherence, and communication among individuals.
Human cultures
distribute themselves around the world in patterns similar to
animal species. In animals, a trend known as Rapaport's rule holds
that the density of species is highest in the equatorial regions
and declines steadily toward the poles. Different
languages—the standard by which the study differentiates
cultures—are spoken every few square miles in some equatorial
areas, while less climatologically hospitable regions have few
languages.
When resources are
abundant, it is possible for a small group of humans to survive,
while in areas where resources are not very abundant people have to
range over large areas to meet their daily needs, and that seems to
homogenize cultures, because they're constantly coming into contact
with other people.
The other aspect of
human diversity is expressed as individual differences,
irrespective of race, such as:
-
age;
-
gender;
-
religion or belief;
-
sexual orientation;
-
disability.
This raises the
question of equality as a social resource. Equality is about
respect and not treating an individual or group of people unfairly.
It is about giving people an equality of opportunity to access
services and to fulfil their potential. Equality is therefore based
on the idea of fairness while recognising everyone is
different.
Diversity is about
all the ways in which people differ and about recognising that
differences are a natural part of society. No two people are the
same and this means that many different elements make up our local
community – something which should be celebrated. Diversity
is about treating people as individuals and making them feel
respected and valued.
This has been
acknowledged in the UK through various legislative instruments over
the years to incorporate diversity into social development as a
form of human capital, namely:
-
The Sex Discrimination Act
(SDA) 1975, makes it unlawful to discriminate on grounds
of sex or marital status;
-
The Race Relations Act
(RRA) 1976 (as amended 2000, 2003 RRAA), makes it unlawful
to discriminate on grounds of colour, race, nationality, ethnic or
national origin;
-
The Disability Discrimination
Act (DDA) 1995 (as amended 2003, 2005), makes it unlawful
to discriminate on grounds of disability;
-
The Employment Equality
(Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, makes it unlawful
to discriminate on grounds of religion or religious
belief;
-
The Employment Equality
(Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, makes it unlawful
to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation;
-
The Employment Equality (Age)
Regulations 2006, makes it unlawful to discriminate on
grounds of age;
-
The Equality
Act 2006, makes provision for the establishment of the
Commission for Equality and Human Rights, merging the Equal
Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality and
the Disability Rights Commission, and covering the new strands of
discrimination law - religion, sexual orientation and
age.
Many myths exist
about equality and diversity - it's not about political correctness
or about giving people unfair advantages, but about respect for
individuals and groups. Equality comes about as a result of
positive attitudes to diversity and the needs of individuals,
rather than from treating everyone the same. Equality and
diversity make good business sense and go hand-in-hand with
enhancing the dignity and self-esteem of all
employees.
The advantages of
human diversity in the global economy is evident in companies that
are increasingly looking for leaders who can manage and communicate
across cultures, who can shift from one world view to another. And
as this skill set becomes more highly valued, greater numbers of
minority executives -- many of whom have this skill -- are being
promoted to the highest corporate levels.
The concept of
“social capitalism” brings social and economic strands
of diversity together. Social capitalism stresses that the process
of building richer societies relies on social and economic
progress. The concept emerges from an understanding that the logic
of the emerging global economy places more value on people, rather
than less. Human capital is of growing importance to businesses,
whether large or small. Business tends to thrive in dynamic,
enterprising and adventurous societies – societies which
invest in their members and give them the freedom and confidence to
fulfill their potential. Our most important economic actors, in
other words, rely on ongoing human development to
survive.
