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Equality of opportunity is impossible. Equality of outcome is an order of magnitude more impossible. Each of us was born into this world through a randomized p
by ken47 4y ago
Equality of opportunity is impossible. Equality of outcome is an order of magnitude more impossible.
Each of us was born into this world through a randomized process that was not created by humankind: the genes you were born with, the environment you were given before you could manage your own affairs, the accumulation of genetic mutations over the course of countless millennia that resulted in who you are today. This is the opportunity you were born with.
To think that we can compensate for this random process with any level of precision is to wage war with nature, and I'd bet that nature will win.
It is an admirable goal, and certainly we can take steps to reduce inequality of opportunity. But true equality of opportunity, or anything close to it, is unattainable in this universe.
- ceeplusplus 4y agoIronically, equality of outcome is actually easier to realize, because you can just drag everyone down to the same crappy level by state mandate and call it "equity". True equality of opportunity would require the admission that certain cultures glorify things which are not conducive to academic success. We accept that black culture values athletics (and that this creates outsized athletic success for black people), why can we not accept that that same culture would deprioritize academics over athletics?
- ken47 4y agoWhat you describe is not equality of outcome. If you impose some kind of lifestyle on different people, each of them will have different subjective experiences. Some will be completely content in state A whereas others will be extremely displeased. Are the outcomes equal? No. Simply the conditions.
- deanCommie 4y ago> Equality of opportunity is impossible. Your next paragraph focuses on inevitable natural inequalities. Fine. Not everyone is Einstein, Picasso, or Jordan. But what about SOCIETY is natural? Is society itself fair? Or does it include inevitable unfairnesses created to perpetuate "natural inequalities"?