A THOUSAND CROSSINGS X

Dear Diary...
New Exposition: All men are created equal?
mardi 11 août 2009

“All men are created equal.” If that is true, why are there rich people, poor people, angry people, happy people, depressed people, disheartened people, motivated people, pessimists, optimists, and people of different languages and talents?

If everyone is created equal, everyone should possess similar or even identical traits and talents. Only then will there be no jealousy over another person’s special quality. In that way also, everyone can be equal.

Also, if everyone was equal, why do different people have different fates and destinies? Some people have broken marriages, while others have long-lasting relationships. Why are some children raised in broken families, while others are fed with a silver spoon since young? Is this fair? Is this equal?

Furthermore, if everyone was equal, why are we of different races, why do we have different skin tones, why do we look so different? If men were made equal shouldn’t we look exactly the same?

My views on the issue on all men being created equal are mixed. Partly, I feel that all men are not created equal, since so live so unfortunate lives, while others live a life of luxury. While I also feel that men are not created equally physically, but in terms of the opportunities each person is given.

Why do I think men are not created equal?

Let us take property tycoon, Donald Trump for example. Donald Trump has an estimated worth of US$1.6 billion. He can afford to produce reality shows such as The Apprentice, sponsor beauty pageants such Miss USA and travel from town to town in his Sikorsky helicopter. On the other hand, there are dirt poor people who cannot even afford a square meal. There are the malnourished children in Africa, the child slaves in China’s kilns and the preteen sex slaves in Vietnam. All of these poor people are subject to hardship and all forms of humiliation. Some are denied the basic human rights, while others are abused in all ways possible. In this case, I cannot agree that all men are created equal. If all men are created equal, why are those children subject to so much humiliation and hardship at such a tender age, while there are rich people at the other side of the world who can travel in style?

Apart from that, the racial discrimination in US also shows that all men are not created equal. The Jim Crow Laws enacted between 1876 and 1965, mandated de jure segregation in all public facilities, with a supposed “separate but equal” status for Black Americans. As good-sounding as it seems, in reality, it led to the treatment and accommodations that were usually inferior to that provided for the White Americans. In 1955, Rosa Parks defied an order by the bus driver to move to the back to create a new row for the Whites who have come aboard. She was fined $10. When she protested and refused to pay, she was arrested. This led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott which was led by Martin Luther King Jr. It was a protest to demand the equal rights the Black Americans due deserve. In this case, I again cannot comply with the notion that all men are created equal. If all men are created equal, why have we been created in different colours and of different castes and treated so differently?

Similarly, the talents we are given also shows that all men are not created equal. The intelligence quotient is evidence that some of us are indeed, smarter or more dull than others. This shows that different people have different degrees of intelligence, thinking ability and talents. How can this be fair? Due to the fact that some people are smarter than others, it has led to discrimination and segregation. For example, the now-defunct EM3 class and the Normal (Academic/Technical) stream for ‘weaker’ students. Due to their slower learning ability, these members of our mankind have been shortchanged. They are not given as much knowledge, and not given the same treatment as us. The fact that different people have different learning abilities and talents, which results in a difference in types and amounts of job opportunities and futures makes me feel that men are not created equal.

On the other hand, although men may not have been created equally physically, their fates, lives and opportunities are equal. In this case, the Creator is fair.

Take the rich and poor for example. Although the rich live a life of luxury, they often lose touch with reality and the rest of the world as they have been at the top for too long to understand the going-ons at the foot of the mountain. They may become cocky, arrogant and disliked. Thus, being a rich person may not be an easy job.

Although the poor live a life of hardship, they do know what happens around them. They know the importance to save for rainy days and to help others. Eventually, some of the poor break the poverty cycle through sheer hard work and luck. These people are the ones who are able to live fulfilling lives by working hard for everything they have in their lives and helping others along the way.

In this case, all men’s lives and opportunities are created equal. Although the rich live a life of luxury, they miss out on the simple things in life and the fulfillment they may achieve if they help others or earn what they have with their own blood, tears, toil and sweat. Although the poor live a hard life, they live a fulfilling life if they are willing to work hard and break the poverty circle and help others along the way.

Next, take the different races for example. Although the Whites are considered more superior to the Blacks, some Blacks are able to prove this common sterotype wrong. Take Sonia Sotomayor for example. Due to the fact that Hispanics are considered second-class citizens in USA, she was able to transform the discrimination into motivation to work harder to become what she is today, a Justice in the US supreme court.

Whites, who live more privileged lives may be less inclined to work hard to pave the way to their future. Some turn to drugs and vice, while others may become gaming addicts. Owing to their more privileged and peaceful lives, they may be less hardworking and are less productive.

In this case, all men’s lives and opportunities are created equal. Although the Whites do not suffer from racial discrimination, they may do less well than their Black counterparts because they do not feel the need to work hard as their Black counterparts do. The Blacks on the other hand are eager to break the poverty circle and be able to provide a better life for their families, thus they work harder and become more successful. Thus, the Creator is fair.
Lastly, let us take our different talents for example. We are given different talents so we can help this world develop in different ways. If everyone was given the exact same set of talents, our world would not have been able to develop to the way it is today. It is thus important for all of us to accept or our talents and shortcomings so that we may benefit the society. Although some of our fellow men maybe less intelligent, they still are equipped with special skills that are beneficial to our society.

Thus, all men are created equal as smart or dull, everyone is given his or her own set of talents so each person has an equal opportunity to serve the society well. In this case, the Creator is fair.

In conclusion, although men are not created equal physically, in terms of physical build, skin colour and intelligence levels, each man is given equal opportunities by equipping everyone of us with a unique set of talents and personality. It is up to each person to unleash his or her own potential and talent so that he or she may be able to serve the society well and be a happy person

All men are created equal but some are more equal than others. – Animal Farm, George Orwell

Au Revoir

yongliang

we're not equals. but we're the same.

P.S: I gave up writing the essay by hand to hand in. 1,366 words and its so late already. I rather have my rest.

he closed his diary at {22:51}