Some of us are already There

Maayan Keynan
Jul 3, 2018
2 min read

Awareness to Inequality was always an issue. And not that there's anything wrong with that, but we lack awareness of how unequal we're being while fighting inequality.

This oxymoron is embedded in one of the funniest scenes in Seinfeld, as society paved its way to adapting new forms of thinking, and by that I mean feeling.

"Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That"

Seinfeld; The Outing; 1993

The 20th Anniversary of when the Show‘About Nothing’ Really Mattered

Jonathan Miller; 2017

But unfortunately, bringing some fun stuff about inequality can't be a strategy to eliminate it.

It was obvious right from the beginning, that when I'm past setting up the platform and laying down my words, I will have to bring the words of others. In the field of social inequality, words of people can be painful.

I wish it weren't so, but I guess this is why I'm here, isn't it?

As I try to pave my way through the world of activism, I get to many stories, personal stories, that can regard one person's life. In this field, this life is, with no exceptions, unhappy.

I am really trying to not put words in others mouths, and I didn't go around and asked people if their lives are unhappy. But when I ask myself if I want to know in person what it feels to live the life of someone who fights for their personal equality, the answer is no.

I really wish to not argue over the above statement, but since this is what I speak of, I will just say that like anyone else, I too do not want to switch lives with no one, but there is a difference between realizing you wouldn't remain yourself upon exchanging lives with others, and knowing that there are lives that no one would want to switch to, even hypothetically.

Jane Elliott speaks the same language, and while she captures it perfectly, it does regard Black citizens (apparently American ones).

Unfortunately, inequality is an intensive property, and affects everyone in its environment.

Just for exercise, imagine a world with only Black citizens, or only Jews, or women, or mute, or whatever etc. Do you really think there wouldn't be discrimination?

The ones of you that do contribute to and for others, have you ever considered giving the same amount of effort to, or just towards, your friends? your siblings? your partners?Have you ever realized you have a friend that needs help that you don't even know of (like stranger's problems), and you might be the source for that help?

I think that from our side (the people that construct the society, you and me), we need to start acknowledging that we discriminate the majority of the society, which usually includes our loved ones and ourselves (unless you are not part of us Regulars).

In the movie Hair, which one of its main concerns is racism, personal inequality rares its ugly head in the form of a song so beautiful, you forget to react to how mistreating others is the worst when it comes to your loved ones, no matter what color you are.