Diversity & Discrimination

There is an International day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples on the 9th August - Who knew?   

Indigenous peoples face high rates of poverty and acute socio-economic disadvantages. It is only recently that their importance to the whole climate change emergency has come to the forefront. Living in harmony with nature, indigenous peoples help safeguard 80% of the world's biodiversity and hold many of the solutions to the climate crisis, despite constituting less than 5% of the global population. They have the traditional knowledge of their ancestors. The important value of that knowledge simply cannot be overstated

https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples-2021.html

Yet all over the world indigenous people have been & are discriminated against. Historically you only have to think about the Native American Indians V white settlers, Mesoamerican Indians V Spanish colonists, Antipodean Maori & Aboriginals V Imperial settlers, Africa V European colonists.

Today nothing much has changed. Amnesty identifies "370 million Indigenous people around the world  spread across more than 90 countries. They belong to more than 5,000 different Indigenous peoples and speak more than 4,000 languages. The vast majority of them – 70% – live in Asia".

https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/indigenous-peoples/

Human Rights day is on the 10th December, commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pages/ListOfIssues.aspx

Yet we have numerous Human Rights issues in the world today. Two prime examples being the Uyghur discrimination in Xinjiang China & the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. But they are not alone - Syria, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan...We seem to be going through a battle between good & evil in human behaviour.

 

Human beings have the capacity for all the positive & negative traits of behaviour. There is a very fine  balance between the two. Approaching a new year & my 77th birthday I wonder which will win.

Democracy - Is the UK Democratic?

‘Democracy‘originated from two Greek words ‘Demos‘ and ‘Cratia‘. ‘Demos’ means people and ‘Cratia’ means power. Thus, democracy means a form of government in which the power is exercised by the people. Abraham Lincoln - “Democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for the people”. Seeley - “Democracy is a government in which everyone has a share”.

The following conditions are necessary for Successful Democracy:-

• Belief in Democratic Principles - Citizens should have faith in democratic principles. They should have respect for other views and should perform their duties properly.
• Economic Equality - Democracy functions smoothly in countries without extremes of wealth and property. Countries which have large numbers of poor with a few who have plenty cannot  run successfully.
• Education - Only educated citizens can understand their rights and duties and can exercise them properly. Uneducated citizens cannot even vote effectively.
• Moral Standards - Citizens are honest, impartial and selfless. They should not be susceptible to undue electoral pressure
  
• Good Leaders - Democratic success depends greatly on the quality of leaders. People of sound judgement, balanced mind, honest and of unimpeachable character.
• Equal Rights - All citizens have equal social and political rights, equality before the law, the right to vote and to fight elections.
• Party System - Political parties are organized on definite economic, social and political principles, not on the basis of religion or caste.
• Free and Honest Press - People should have access to free and unbiased information regarding domestic and foreign affairs.
• Independent Judiciary - The rights and liberties of the citizens cannot be safeguarded if the Judiciary is not free.
• Local-Self Government - Local institutions should be established at all levels. Local institutions are a training ground for democracy.
• Strong Opposition - Organized opposition checks the government from becoming dictatorial.
• Peace and Security - Perpetual danger of war or revolt means democracy cannot work.

Sadly, I do not believe that the United Kingdom, under the present Government & the present Prime Minister, meets all of these criteria. 

 

Patterns of Behaviour

We humans have 4 major behaviour patterns - Optimistic, Pessimistic, Trusting & Envious. The latter is the most common, with 30%, compared to 20% for each of the other groups. Maybe that explains our consumerism & need for more "stuff". I am truly horrified watching TV programmes showing people who have so much "stuff" that they can barely use the rooms in their houses. The "stuff" literally weighs them down. No surface is uncluttered.

I have cleared houses for family & friends when people have died. The most shocking things were piles of useless rubbish like bills & receipts which were years old. Or huge numbers of single items like shoes, underwear or make up. Sometimes brand new & unused. I wonder what drives hoarding. Do we think that we must have what everyone else has? We must be part of the crowd? Or is it a basic insecurity?

I have known people at both ends of the positivity spectrum. I have found Pessimistic people very draining. Nothing can change their world view. Optimistic people tend to be much easier to get along with unless they take it to extremes as Bi Polar people often do. A Bi Polar man I knew was really exciting to be with - life was fun, but it was exhausting & sometimes dangerous & uncontrollable. I am definitely a "glass half full" person. I always try to find the positive in a situation.

I think, generally speaking, I am trusting. When travelling abroad this has often led to really worthwhile insights into different cultures, but occasionally into quite dangerous situations. On the whole I think trusting is a positive trait. My internal monitor, or gut reaction, has usually been correct in summing people up.

Type A Behavioural Pattern

Type B's are relaxed, Patient & Easy Going

I am Type A - I am climbing the mountain. Currently I am out on a limb because I am completely trusting a lot of people who are contributing to the renovation of my house. I don't have the necessary skills, knowledge or experience. I have to trust that they do & do the job well. I also have to trust that suppliers are competent in navigating the currently broken supply chain. 

Everything is fluid & changes day by day. We are all having to adjust to changing circumstances. It is a huge gamble & could go "pear shaped" very easily. It's certainly taking far more time & probably far more money than I thought it would.

I do believe the outcome will be worth it. I will reach the top of the mountain.