{"id":91,"date":"2012-04-26T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2012-04-26T17:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.janusdialogs.com\/?p=91"},"modified":"2014-03-06T16:35:04","modified_gmt":"2014-03-07T00:35:04","slug":"new-norm-equality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.janusdialogs.com\/?p=91","title":{"rendered":"New Norm | Equality"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cAt least since the French Revolution, equality has served as one of the leading ideals of the body politic; in this respect, it is at present probably the most controversial of the great social ideals.\u201d1<\/a><\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n

The notion of equality is much simpler than the reality.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Explore Wikipedia<\/a>, the Stanford article<\/a> quoted above, or many other sources on the subject and it becomes clear that equality is much easier to support in concept than to understand or achieve in reality.<\/p>\n

Do we mean equality of opportunity, of outcome, of surrounding, of conditions, of access? Should we all be 6 feet tall; have the opportunity to be 6\u2018 tall; or not be looked upon differently if we are not exactly 6\u2019 tall? The answer is \u2013 unfortunately \u2013 not always equitable.<\/p>\n

Recently, while boarding a flight overseas, the perception of inequality was brought to light. The second group to board was called, and as has become the norm, this group consisted of high mileage flyers. As soon as they started heading for the plane, someone not in this group began loudly complaining \u201cwhy should these people get to board before I do?\u201d<\/p>\n

This question had not been raised (publically at least) when the first group boarded \u2013 consisting of families with small children and those \u201cneeding more time to board\u201d. But it was now being loudly asked.<\/p>\n

Activities that appear to differentiate are less and less tolerated. It is the populist aspect of the notion of equality that makes the topic so popular. (A self-obvious sentence if ever there was one.)<\/p>\n

There may be a Janus Moment<\/a><\/em> occurring, not for the seemingly universal support of equality, but for the willingness to voice such support, and to voice dissatisfaction when it is felt to not be occurring.<\/p>\n

Coke reacted (to either the desire for increased equality or at the rising voices) by turning a skybox for invited coke guests into a dormitory for coke customers.<\/p>\n