ETH/125
01/11/2015
Diversity in The United States
Diversity's effects on society
How people relate to one another can have a massive effect on the overall dynamics of any society. Diversity is necessary in order to form proper relationships with other people. Although it is impossible to change the opinions of others, the long term effects of how people view and treat others can only be achieved through diversity. However, it is important to note that these effects can be both negative and positive. When a society allows too much room for things such as discrimination, prejudice and racism, diversity becomes harder and harder to come by. In these instances, one can find specific areas of a town that are primarily inhabited by people who share more similarities than differences. It is very common for people who have fallen victim to discrimination, prejudicial treatment and racism, to want to reside in the same area as those with whom they feel the most connected. Often times this means people of a similar race, religious belief system, and even something as common as age, will try and stick closer to one another, and not diversify their own personal networks beyond that which is expected of them in places such as work or educational environments. Although the clusters of similarities may seem like a good idea, because it often feels more safe for those within them, it has a massive negative impact on the diversity of the community, and therefore society as well. In order to fully understand one's own self, it is important to try and understand others with whom a person shares more differences than similarities. When society promotes diversity, the opportunity and even sometimes ability to better understand others becomes much easier.
Something that is often overlooked when people discuss diversity includes the benefits that we, as individuals can experience when we discover, pay attention to, and participate in the practices of other cultures, faiths and other things that people who may be slightly unlike ourselves, enjoy. Another aspect often overlooked is the ability to expand the workforce and its capabilities when employers as well as employees choose to diversify their environments. Job markets that are more diversified can open up a plethora of options both for businesses as well as employees. The experience gained by working in a diversified work environment can provide individuals with training in numerous areas including customer relations, management, and even personnel relationships, among others. Understanding other employees and being able to work cohesively in a workplace environment can better prepare people to work in multiple environments in the future as well. Diversifying the work environment also opens up the skill pool for employers, enabling them to reach a much larger audience as far as employees as well as customers are concerned.
Personal experience I was raised with and have always held the belief that people need to be taken at face value until, or unless, I learn more about them. Although external characteristics are always the first things I notice about people, like everyone else, I personally choose not to judge others based on any of them. I would much rather get to know people using the personality traits they present, and in time learn more and more about them by being as nonjudgmental as humanly possible. I do not look to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or age as a significant sign of anything other than a basic characteristic. I do not place expectations of behavior on these characteristics, however. As a young child, I was raised in and around a very diverse community. I learned at a very young age just how damaging things like discrimination, prejudicial treatment and racism can be both to individuals as well as a community as a whole. I also learned that as we, both individuals and society allow