Diversity must replace 'pluralism' in America

America purports to be a bastion of diversity. It claims to be the place on the planet where diversity is most evolved, but is it? The ‘pluralism’ of America is flawed needing to evolve into something new, to the notion of a ‘Diverse’ (die-verse).

Photo: Diversity must replace 'pluralism' in America

Let us look briefly at diversity in America. There is progress in some ways about social diversity, yet still millions of minorities live in dire poverty, and immigrants are discriminated against. Individuality is actually the cardinal expression of diversity, but how does it fare in America? We are a nation in a serious battle between healthy and unhealthy individuality – alienation, self absorption, selfishness, dysfunction. About international diversity, Americans know little of the world, look down upon it; it does not meet our advanced standards.

On environmental diversity, we act as if we are the only species on planet. We have grasped the concept of a global economy but not of a global ecosystem or of a ‘globe’ itself. Creativity is the essential method of diversity, but here our record is mixed and disappointing. Today, our nation is mired in many, many problems; leaders have no clue.

The fundamental premise here is we live in ‘Diverse’, not a ‘Universe’. A Diverse has a distinct nature and viewpoint. You are a Diverse of many, many things – a collection of various drives, needs, perceptions, emotions, intuitions, habits, conscious and non-conscious behaviors, organized and chaotic behaviors, long lists of personality traits, competing values and principles, rational and creative minds, dream minds and spiritual minds...

Human Society is too a Diverse of many, many things – billions of individuals; a multitude of nations, ethnic groups, religions and cultures, institutions of economics, government, foreign policy, art, education, media, healthcare...

Since individuals are Diverses and society is a Diverse, to understand ourselves we must grasp the principles of the Diverse. The entire cosmos is a Diverse; Nature is a Diverse, Human society, you and your brain are a Diverse too. Thus, we can see a chain of differentiation beginning with the cosmos and ending with your own personal neurology.

From the origin of the cosmos comes matter that is not ‘mere matter’ -- it evolves, it creates structures, it engenders life, thought, morality and creativity. From an original ‘Subsume’ where all things are fused, a potential develops. Difference, diversity and individuality elaborate in endless chains. Atoms and particles are ‘evolutionary units’ that evolve many profound phenomena.

The very idea of the ‘Diverse’ is opposed to a ‘Universe’. The Diverse refers to difference, individuality, particularity and complexity. Change and evolution represent diversity over time.

The old notion of a ‘Universe’ has opposite features to the Diverse; it stresses stasis, stability, organization, hierarchy, repetition, commonality, imitation and so on. People who stress ‘universal thinking’ want ‘systems’ of control and dogma, they do not want individuality, diversity or creativity.

A very important concept about the Diverse is ‘differentiation’, the generation of difference. Opposed to differentiation is ‘undifferentiation’ meaning the limitation of difference as in ‘universal thinking’. Undifferentiation is essential otherwise we would not have organisms, organization, theoretical systems, education, common institutions or government or economies.

However, differentiation is the primary force in the cosmos though undifferentiation has its place. The practical problem becomes what is the right mix of differentiation and undifferentiation, and then the changing strategy as the world evolves. This is the basic method of Diverse thinking.

The principles of the Diverse are applied to many fields to flesh out the abstract rules, giving them detail and particularity. At the same time, each field or realm offers its own rules and behaviors as each is a Diverse in itself, each institution and science, each part of your brain. Cosmology, creation, origin and evolution are addressed by the Diverse idea. Many issues of theology are addressed — a notion of origin or ‘god’, souls, faith, power, sacred, divine. Diverse thought applies to psychology, emotions, economics, government, education, Nature, creativity, morality, life issues, communication, media and so on.

Philosophically, the Diverse is a proper noun that includes all things. But we should not get confused thinking this word ‘Diverse’ is reality itself, for the true Diverse is all things in the cosmos. The Diverse is an infinity, an evolving infinity. Though axioms can be derived for it, its ultimate nature is a mystery as to why it is and when and how it began. Our science discovers its laws infinitely but never ‘why’ it exists.

To think in Diverse terms is to accept the diversity of all things; man is the self-conscious Diverse recognizing this. The cosmos IS the Diverse. Humans can recognize this truth; this puts us on our unique path in the Diverse.

The Diverse stresses individuality; society is a collection of individuals. In the Diverse, the battle is between healthy and unhealthy individuality. Further, in the Diverse, one must discover her or his true identity. The shear complexity of your personality causesdifficulty, add to that you are in constant evolution, thus, finding identity is a key task for a human.

Recognition of the Diverse may create some inner conflict for some. To accept your individuality and identity and that of others creates a contradiction, a duality within you that reflects this friction in the world. But if you truly believe in a Diverse, you will appreciate, respect and defend the individuality and difference in others — because this is the way of the cosmos, and this is the best way of existence for us, collectively. ‘Sociality’ arises, that is, concern for society and others, this does not diminish individuality but works with it and expands it.

You must think in wholes. The problem of wholes is resolved by understanding you must represent yourself and the whole (others) at the same time. You are yourself and the whole at the same time. This duality once grasped is the essential lesson for a human being.

Sometimes a major issue comes up as to whether there is a singular view of the Diverse. A wise person says ‘NO’, this cannot be, the Diverse is too big for one view of itself. Multiple perception is the nature of our existence in the Diverse. We each have our own particular view, but at the same time we can see another’s view. Our unity then with others is in the generalities. Our debates will be eternal, but at the same time if we are wise, our unity will be eternal too. A ‘united front’ of humanity marches forward.

Love of the different is a very important emotion. Other perspectives teach love for others because they are the same as you, and there is much truth in this. But the Diverse view says love them because they are different too. This way we have two forms of love and care in the cosmos.

The consequences of a Diverse are vast. A human lives a life of many needs. Our brain houses many minds we must understand and juggle. Our emotions are complex and dynamic, they must evolve into a Diverse and not be suppressed. Time in a Diverse is expressed in moments, we get confused by this, ‘momentia’ may result. In solving complex problems we must ‘range think’, ranging over many solutions at once. We learn in the vast Diverse through a wandering experience. Further, we learn by directness about ourselves and the world, and not through middlemen; we must experience reality directly and not filtered by others.

Naturally, good communication is the primary mode of connection and interaction in a social Diverse. More, diversity applied to economics, government, international relations, education, organization, media, entertainment, art and so on results in very different ideas and different institutions than those that exist today. Diverse thinking changes our relationship with Nature; we are now a single species in an interconnected natural Diverse.

What separates us from the whole Diverse is that we are the self-conscious Diverse. We see the Diverse, accept it, apply it to all things, build on it.

Also, it is best to see the Diverse as a force, an energy or power. See the Diverse as a verb and not as a noun; this grammatical clarification will make it clear what you must do -- summon the power of the Diverse within, become the self-aware verb of the cosmos, act upon Diverse.

Thus, the Diverse view is a self-help perspective, you save yourself because you have the power within; then you can help save others, teach others, mentor others and ally with others to change the world. If we use the principles of the Diverse, we can do many things, if we use principles of ‘universal thinking’, we get confused and enable bad behavior.

In America, ‘pluralism’ is dead; it is a confused, self-contradictory concept. We need to leap beyond it to something clearer. Let us get to the simple, profound truth of all creation and our nation -- our true national fate is to become a thorough Diverse, then by our example we help the whole world.

Cage Innoye

Innoye is an American writer. You can contact him at his blog, diversephilosophy.blogspot.com, or at his email address, [email protected]. His is working on his upcoming book, “The Axxiad”.