Differences Divide

I cannot believe how naïve and innocently stupid I have been most of my adult life, especially now when I am supposed to have sage wisdom

I have been, am now, and will continue to be programmed to see differences in all of life and in all things around me both animate and inanimate object including: plants, trees, birds, fish, rocks, cats and dogs and .many other animals as well as people, cultures, religions, and languages.

In America, we have:

• different schools
• different clothes
• different cars
• different neighborhoods
• different houses

Note: this list is probably infinite rather than finite but who knows.

And, seeing life this way, day in and day out, does nothing but DIVIDE us but it is done with the best of intentions and there is no doubt in my mind that divide was the endgame, but it is happening none the less and must not be seen in the same dramatic way that I am seeing it now.

Without the slightest awareness at all, when we look at people around us, we always see these differences whether we overtly acknowledge them or not.

• We see people living in different houses
• We see people wearing different clothes
• We see people eating at different restaurants
• We see people wearing different hair styles

So, with all these differences that lurk around us every single minute of every single day, is it any wonder that when we pay attention to other people, that we first notice their differences as compared to our own, such as:

• taller or shorter
• fatter or thinner
• pretty or ugly
• talented or not talented
• etc., etc., etc.

Therefore, it logically stands to reason that when we look at each other we also see the following categories:

• African Americans
• Asians Americans
• Hispanic Americans
• Caucasian Americans

And, within each category, we make a mental note as to how they dress, how they talk, how they behave and those differences are imprinted on our minds whether we like it or not... and, are later retrieved (whether we like it or not) when appropriate and that decision to retrieve also comes with an assortment preconceived ideas.

I suppose that these thoughts and feelings, disguised as simple differences (previously described), resurface and are once again felt and/or spoken, they are then ALWAYS (for the most part) SEEN as a prejudice exhibition of inequalities.

Over time, these differences begin to manifest themselves as hatred, jealousy, contempt, and outrage or at least they are perceived by others who witness their displays; consequently, mental profiling automatically sets up inside the mind of the viewer... and, this happens to relatively good people in an unsuspecting manner on both sides of those differences.

I would also suspect that some of us try to suppress those differences when they realized because intuitively they know that they are misplaced, while others simply do not have the discipline to do so or the will power to take these self-influencing initiatives... which is not necessarily their fault actually, if that is the way they were developed; although, it is possible, I would think, for that behavior and discipline to be acquired.

I, myself, when walking around on one of my very infrequent shopping trips and when seeing others, think to myself: “look at that porker, will ya.” Sadly, this refers to male, females, adults, and children. When others are around me I may say it out loud to illicit a laugh or two.

BUT, even for a laugh, it is nonetheless wrong for me to think this or say this on so many levels, the least of which is the fact that I knew exactly what I was doing and also knew the consequences and the potential influence of my comments... and yet, I still did it.

In fact, the reason for this article was that I am currently on a few days of rearranged vacation so I can take a break from my being retired and was having breakfast in the dinning area of the motel in which we spent the night on our way to Myrtle Beach, SC and while I was waiting for my wife to join me, I saw this young female teenager this hat scripted with: DIFFERENCES DIVIDE on the front.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how simplistically true it was while at the same time how simplistically sad it was as well... and, that these differences were all around us in all aspects of our lives and that there was no way that one could avoid their subliminal influences.

And what was more astonishing to me was the fact that while I was writing these thoughts above down on a napkin, I was still making mental notes of all the white people, black people, obese people, old and young people, and the pretty and the ugly people that were coming into this area to get their breakfasts before continuing on their respective journeys...

With my observation of myself, I really wonder, if actually possible at all, if anything substantial in our perceptions of the differences of each other will ever change, especially with all the differences with which we are constantly inundated with everyday.

On the other side of the coin, observing these differences have positive consequences as well in that, those who are living at a certain socio economic level in our society have an opportunity to see and understand the differences that are present at a higher socio economic level and then aspire to attain that level... and, once at that level they see an even higher level and the differences that are associated with that level and then aspire to attain that level as well... and on and on and on.

This progress upwards helps and supports our economic growth and our local communities grow and flourish. Many economists believe that for every dollar that is spent in a local economy that 8-10 dollars are generated in what is called ECONOMIC IMPACT which is healthy and positive and necessary for growth.

So, these differences have positive consequences as well... but, like everything life is full of trade-offs.