God-given/Nature-evolved differences and inequalities abound, both in the animal and plant kingdom and also in the human race.
However, when it comes to the human race, things get complicated because of historical factors that have shaped and exacerbated the differences and inequalities than put in by God or Nature because of what man has done to man or what a community/society/country has done to other communities/societies/countries.
When we start to examine this issue of differences and inequalities and the implications thereof with regard to access to and thereby benefiting from resources and opportunities – be it due to wealth, caste, religion, nationality, race, language, region, etc. – it is hard to disentangle myth from reality. The myth can be with regard to ability and dessert.
Take for instance, the claim made in India at one time in history perpetuated to an extent into modern times that the upper castes in India are better suited to learning and intellectual pursuits and white collar jobs, while the lower castes are best suited (by birth, mind you) for only occupations and jobs involving physical labour, such as say the blue-collar jobs. That myth becomes hard to dispel in the short run when based on that myth there have been historical injustices that have prevented the lower castes from access to educational and other societal resources using which resources the lower castes could have proved things to be otherwise.
For instance, typically one finds that there is a strong correlation in India between Caste and Class. Hence, most of the lower castes also happen to be poor not only in terms of money but also in terms of social, cultural and intellectual capital handed down to them from the past. Hence, if a child is born to the parents from lower class strata, chances are that, right from the womb it will get poor nutrition, leading stunted growth of body and brain, and in extreme cases malnutrition, all of which stunts one’s mental development. Now, if such a child when it reaches school-going age and starts to compete with kids from upper castes, imagine how it will fall behind and lo and behold it gives substance to the myth that children from lower castes are less able to do well in studies.
What is the way out?
Difficult as it may be, one has to create so-called equality of opportunity, but more importantly the ability to take advantage of the existing equalities of opportunity created by the Constitution of India with a multi-pronged approach, including paying attention to the child in the womb to ensure it does not fall behind from the moment it takes its first breath.
After that, if differences and inequalities persist, then we can blame God or Nature, which anyway people will find more acceptable because there is not much one can do to counter it, though man keeps trying to counter such differences and inequalities also, albeit with dubious science behind it, with things like eugenics and what have you.
In the end, if we can learn to love each other, then most issues can be resolved, be it caste/racial discrimination or some other thing.
1 Comment