DISTINGUISHING

EQUALITY AND COMPETENCE

 

Equality is one of the being-values that Abraham Maslow identified.  If
that's true, then the sense of human equality is one of those values which
are wired into us and an essential part of what makes us fully human/ fully
alive.  But what does equality mean?

 

What is obviously does not mean is that we are all equal in intelligence,
talents, abilities, or genetics.  Genetically, we are all different in many
unequal ways.  This lack of equality goes to our DNA which goes back to our
neurological gifts or challenges.  We are also not equal in terms of our
family heritage, our social status, our financial status, the advantages or
disadvantages of our town or country.  In all of these areas, there are lots
of inequalities.

 

In the 18th century a new budding idea was given birth.  In the first
democracies in the late 18th century, the idea was conceived that "all men
are created equal by their creator and endowed with certain inalienable
rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  At that
time, that was really radical!  For the many millennia of human history,
people had accepted as a given that people are not equal in value and
therefore made no attempt to establish equality in the eyes of the law.
Instead, they had built up caste systems, hierarchies of power, and myths
about royal blood lines.

 

The idea that all people are created equal then lead to an equally radical
concepts, namely, that we can, and should, create political, economic, and
social systems to actualize that idea.  In 1776 that gave birth to the US
Constitution and launched an "experiment" in democracy which sought to
answer the question, "Can free men and women govern themselves?"  Or do we
need those who are innately "superior" (those of the higher classes, the
ruling classes) to govern us?

 

This idea of equality is not an equality created by people being educated,
trained, or manipulated to be the same, to have the same talents, beliefs,
understandings, skills, etc.  That's impossible.  And if it were possible,
it would be a nightmare.  It is rather a belief in all people are to be
equally valued in the eyes of the law.  All are to be treated by the same
rules and applications of the rules.  No one should get preferential
treatment.  Those who make the laws should equally have to obey the same
laws as everyone else.

 

At the same time we are equal before the law, we are also very different.
We differ in our talents, skills, interests, capacities, understandings,
meanings, beliefs, preferences, habits, and on and on.  And this diversity
lies within the concept of equal as persons.  Consequently, what does not
matter any longer is ethnic background, family of origin, birthplace, creed,
skin color, lifestyle, etc.  No person is "better" than another.  No one is
"superior" than another.  We are all human beings-all members of the one and
only "race" on planet earth, the human race.

 

In making distinctions about people, we distinguish competencies of skills,
not their humanity.  In terms of their humanity, we are all one; we are all
equal.  In terms of skills, competencies, what we can do, what we are good
at-we are all very different.  Some are smarter, some are faster, some are
stronger, some have more money, some are more interested in money, some are
more loving, etc.  And because we are all equal in humanity-the differences
do not create a basis for superiority of persons.

 

Now we can look upon someone superiority in a skill, knowledge, competency,
etc. as a human possibility that the rest of us can learn from and model.
Now we can respect and honor every such superiority, knowing that it is a
gift to humanity which can enrich us all.  This explains why it is perfectly
fine to give accurate feedback to children about what they excel in.  If one
is superior in math or music or literature or whatever, that is God's gift
to that person.  It is not that person's "superiority."   To have a contest
and give "prizes to all" so that "all can win" confuses this distinction
between equality and confidence.

 

Let's honor our equality as persons and our equality in value as human
beings while simultaneously embrace our differences.  Let's respect each
person and challenge each one to be the best version of him or herself.

 

 

 

L. Michael Hall, Ph.D.