Diversity

     Living here in a heavily populated area with great diversity, I have been reflecting on civilization. To add to my reflection, Russ and I are watching a "Great Course" on world history, a series of recorded college lectures. I think I can justly say that diversity is essential to the development and progression of civilization. To name just a few elements of diversity:
Gender: without the egg from a female combined with the sperm of a male, there would be an end to reproduction, therefore an end to civilization.
Talents: no matter how willing we may be to try or how hard we work at learning, each one of us will run into skills or jobs we simply do not have the faculties to do very well, if at all. It's helpful to learn at least the basics of as many arts or skills as possible. It puts each of us in a better position to be able to truly value a job completed by someone else if we have an idea what went into accomplishing that job. Also, there are so many different things to be accomplished within any community, it's helpful when the work is divided and everyone does what they are most capable of or interested in doing.
Interests: We would probably still be walking or driving horse-pulled buggies if it had been up to me to invent automobiles. I appreciate them and recognize their value, but I would never have had the interest enough to putter around inventing or improving motors, cars, or so many other devices. I may be capable of learning what I might need to know to work on engines, but since I have no interest in it, it would have been a genuine struggle for me to accomplish much. It's wonderful, and essential to moving forward, that each of us has different interests that we are attracted to and on which to work.
Physical/mental abilities: Now this is one that some would question why having diversity in abilities would assist in the advancement of society. Suppose Hitler's idea had been promoted and only those humans who had the best intelligence or capacity to perform were allowed to survive. First of all, we would all be able to do whatever needed to be done and would rarely make connections with other humans to help with a task. A nation of hermits would not really be an advanced civilization. Secondly, I consider compassion to be essential to a truly advanced civilization. Without it, the citizens are too self-centered to work together for a common goal. If there are no people who struggle physically or mentally, we just figure everyone can do things on their own and we don't even look for ways to help. We avoid compassion altogether.
Personalities: This might also appear at first glance as a characteristic that has nothing to do with the advancement of civilization. However, there is much to be said about having some who are more curious and adventurous, some who are more cheerful and encouraging, some who are studious and careful, some who are quiet and comforting,..... It's really beneficial for us to sometimes get shaken up a bit by the opportunity to see things from a perspective different than our own. When we see things differently than our usual perspective, it usually opens up lots of new ideas, hence the advancement of society.
     I could go on, but I have made my point. Having made the point that diversity is essential to the progression of civilization, I want to add that diversity without limits can destroy society. Every aspect of humans has the potential to destroy if not carefully considered. A simple example: imagine a world full of people all living with the abilities or personalities of toddlers. Different personalities can be beneficial to society but if those personalities are to the extreme in aspects such as anger, revenge, refusal to learn, slothfulness, or envy, society would be unpleasant at the very least. Some abilities, when focused on too strongly, can become destructive. I think we are approaching the limit to human endurance in some extreme, professional, or even Olympic sports. Using artificial means to overcome physical limitations or forcing young children to make Herculean efforts on a regular basis, just to be really good at a sport skill in order to win or make a lot of money is bound to wreak havoc. Every generation thinks they can come up with a new style, a new way of doing things, a new idea which will change the world. Not all of those new ideas are helpful. Sometimes the old, tried and true ways really are the best. If we change things simply to change things, it's not always an improvement and we risk losing ground rather than advancing. I fear eliminating any boundaries to gender identity will cause more harm than good for society. I recognize that there have always been people who felt themselves "different" from the norm. However, when there is no norm, that removes any foundation for ALL humans, not just ones who may feel different. Each human has plenty of struggles with self-identity. If there are no guidelines to recognize, there is no common guardrail to know we're even on the road at all, much less the right road.
     I don't want to degenerate into current political contention. I only wanted to share thoughts.