The Diversity Myth Essay - 5534 Words

The Diversity Myth The idea that diversity is one of the countrys great strengths is now so firmly rooted that virtually anyone can evoke it, praise it, and wallow in it without fear of contradiction. It has become one of the great unassailably American ideas, like democracy, patriotism, the family, or Martin Luther King. The President of the United States glories in diversity. In May, 1995, in a message recognizing the Mexican holiday, Cinco de Mayo, William Clinton said, The Fifth of May offers all of us a chance to celebrate the cultural diversity that helps to make our nation great. A few days later, when he designated May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, he said, With the strength of our diversity and a†¦show more content†¦and Mrs. Clinton are promoting--is a great advantage for America is one of the most obviously stupid propositions ever to see the light of day. Nevertheless there is one kind of diversity that is an advantage. A contractor, for example, cannot build houses if he hires only electricians. He needs carpenters, plumbers, etc.--a diverse work force. However, functional diversity of this kind is not what the Chief Executive is on about. He is talking about largely non-functional differences like race, language, age, sex, culture and even whether someone is homosexual. One might call this status diversity. What advantages would a contractor get from a mixed work force of that kind? None. What are the advantages the United States gets from a racially mixed population? None. The idea that status diversity is a strength is not merely a myth, but a particularly transparent one. Explaining why diversity is bad for a country is a little like explaining why cholera is bad for it; the trick is to understand how anyone could possibly think it was good. In fact, diversity became a strength after the fact. It became necessary to believe in it because skepticism would be racist. Otherwise intelligent people began to mouth nonsense about diversity only because of the blinding power of the race taboo. After diversity began to include sex, mental disabilities, perversions, and everything else that was alien or outlandish, to disbelieve in the powerShow MoreRelatedEssay on Diversity: The Ethical Choice1410 Words   |  6 Pagesmanagerial and professional positions (Kinicki Kreitner, 2008). The question of workplace diversity is a polarizing debate with proponents of diversity measures arguing the business benefit of diversity (Herring, 2009) and opponents arguing that diversity programs are a form of reverse discrimination (Kinicki Kreitner, 2008). To what degree should employers, in either government or business, seek to promote diversity and encourage equality and what are the ethical considerations of such a position? Read MoreThe L ife and Death of Great American Cities by Jane Jacob892 Words   |  4 Pagesthe more culturally significant binaries that Jacobs relies on in her narrative is the effectively paradoxical relationship between diversity and homogeneity in urban environments at the time. In particular, beginning in Chapter 12 throughout Chapter 13, Jacobs is concerned greatly with debunking widely held misconceptions about urban diversity. Jacobs views diversity as the number of ways in which limited areas of space are allocated, as opposed to having an inherent racial or cultural connotationRead MoreMyths And Tales Like The Coyote Who Free The Moon Or How People Come Into The Earth985 Words   |  4 Pagesof various myths and tales where they tell origin stories about the why the way certain are and how it becomes. Myths and tales like the coyote who free the moon or how people come into the earth. By looking into some of these myths and tales that are in the American Religious Diversity volume one book, it will explore the Native Americans understanding about the sacred world and their relationship to that sacred world. Also looking at the noticeable differences between how these myths differ fromRead MoreExplaining Diversity Essay1090 Words   |  5 PagesExplaining Diversity The history of humanity has shown that the influences of a select few, charting their ideas of what is right and wrong, pure or dirty, black or white may all influence cultures; but these principles do not follow a certain direction. Rather, with the continuance of culture through time, the principles have diverged human experience into thousands of different cultures. In Biology as Ideology, the argument of genetic determinism arises; ones genetic makeup and other biologicalRead MoreOrganizational Culture Organizational Behavior Diversity1622 Words   |  7 PagesORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR DIVERSITY COMMUNICATION ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND GROUP DYNAMICS MGT/307 July 20, 2010 Organizational Culture is the system of shared actions, values, and beliefs that has developed within an organization and guides the behavior of its members. Organizational Development consists of special applications of knowledge gained from behavioral science to create a comprehensive design to improve organizational effectiveness. Through the collectiveRead MoreCanada Is Not The Post Racist Utopia1618 Words   |  7 Pagesprivilege to prevail. Second, I will debunk the myth of Canada’s near-non-existent colonial legacy. Last, I will explain the myth of meritocracy and how it is reflected in a vertical mosaic. Only through a series of polite fictions that mask inconvenient truths, can the domain of race, ethnic, and Aboriginal relations in Canada be properly interpreted. Fleras (2017) defines multiculturalism as a set of principles, policies, and practices for accommodating diversity as a legitimate and integral componentRead MoreThe Importance of World Mythology1045 Words   |  5 Pagesstandardized tests. With this emphasis shift, teachers are less likely to educate students about mythology, let alone mythologies from other cultures. Students are missing out on a great opportunity to learn about diversity in cultures. Not only can English teachers use world myths as a learning tool to explain different cultures, but science and social studies teachers can use it expand on their subject matter. English teachers focus their curriculum on Roman and Greek mythology becauseRead MoreFulfilling the Promise of the American Dream Essay661 Words   |  3 Pagescompetitive in the job market. In â€Å"Class in America: Myths and Realities,† Gregory Mantsios describes the myths and their corresponding realities in America. A myth that was given claims that any American, given the right opportunities, can become a successful millionaire through enough hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance (283). This is clearly presented as a fallacy that schools have told and media has portrayed. Evidence is provided to debunk this myth. Successful business magnates and millionairesRead MoreBarbie Dolls, By Mattel, An American Multinational Toy Company1217 Words   |  5 Pagesconcept of the beauty myth. The beauty myth, as stated by Ryle (2013) is â€Å"the belief in a quality called beauty that is real and universal and that women, as a result of biological, sexual, and evolutionary factors, should want to embody, while men should desire the women who embody that ideal of beauty.† (p. 259). Also, the beauty myth can be viewed as a of gender specific stereotypes that enco urage the idea that beauty is a key quality of femininity. Barbie has various myths surrounding her thatRead MoreEffectiveness Of Diversity Intervention Or Their Results1159 Words   |  5 Pagesresearch assessing the effectiveness of diversity intervention or their results† (Kulik Roberson, 2008). In my opinion, a workforce diversity initiative might involve many things such as, motivation to interact with each other on the job, ways to relieve stress on the job, and culture shock in the workplace. Resourcefulness comes from originality like being diverse in creating new ways to enhance old ones to combined change. Perhaps, leadership and diversity might help blend the workplace to meet