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WayneBenedet — Decree of Fate (WAB0817)
#abandoned #prairie #prairielandscape #abandonedbuilding #abandonedhouse
Published: 2016-02-19 03:12:47 +0000 UTC; Views: 2146; Favourites: 180; Downloads: 0
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I have been thinking about toleration, or perhaps more accurately said, lack of toleration. This is a subject that has always befuddled me. I don't understand why people, are not just accepted for who and what they are. I do not understand why folks who live different life styles, have different forms of faith, different ethnic back grounds or have different physical characteristics are treated differently. One of the things that I have found is that it is our differences that create diversity and bring a special joy to life.Now in saying these things, I am not saying that anything and everything that someone is or does is acceptable. If a persons actions are harmful to others, they do not fit within what I am trying to say. All of us have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect regardless of our genetic make up (nationality, sexuality etc), regardless of our faith beliefs, regardless of our age or anything else that our social structures use to divide individuals, categorize and marginalize.
Mostly, from my own observation, is seems to me that society as a whole only gives lip service to the differences between people. For the most part, (from societies perspective) we are all male, or female, white or coloured, (or aboriginal, or something else). But that is my point. Why do we even see these differences, why are they even important. Why do we see male or female, why do care if someone is of a particular nationality or has a specific genetic make up. Why do we care if someone is straight or gay or bisexual or transgendered or a host of so many different things. Why do we care? And that is what I don't get. Perhaps it is those who seem to care the most about these kinds of differences that have the greatest fear or are the least settled and content in their lives.
As I have gotten older, I think I have accepted a more live and let live kind of approach in which I can accept people as they are for who they are. I don't have any need to change them. I don't appreciate it if they attempt to change me, and I do not need to condone or judge who they are or the choices they make. What I feel a need to do, is to just accept them as they are, and to allow them to live and experience life and their creation as it unfolds. That does not mean that I like everyone I meet, or that I have a desire to live in the ways that others choose to live. What it does mean, is that I want to live my life in freedom, to be able to express who and what I am without fear of prejudice or bias from others, and I need to allow others to do the same.
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Comments: 42
Wonderful photo!
I really like and agree with your statement on acceptance of diversity. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
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A lovely old house which is tolerant and forgiving, even though it has been abandoned.
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There are many people who believe as you do Wayne, but not everyone can express it so concisely. Nice image too!
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Hi! This is a wonderful picture, but your words is what really captured my mind. What you write is so true and the consequences are so terrible to everyone when we keep trying to put each other in different groups and focus on all possible ways to find differences between us, instead of focusing on all the things we have in common as humans, trying to live our lives the way we can and the way we want. Your words really touched me deeply.
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Thank you for contributing to the discussion Magnus. I am sure others will read what you have added.
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I agree so much with your writing on this subject. Sadly, some folks who want to be so called Leaders are busy instilling fear in the population so they can manipulate them. Fear of the unknown, the different, the others out there not like you. The more I hear and read and interact with certain people, the more I like my cat.
That said, I enjoy sharing with most of the folks here on deviantart, mostly because we are different.
Now a little about this image, that red roof is interesting, and the blue sky is nice to see (been raining all winter it seems, setting records here in Washington, USA), just a tiny nit to pick with the little branches sticking in on the right.
Rich T.
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Thanks Rich. Your comment about your cat is well understood. Sometimes I think we humans have a lot to learn from out animal friends.
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Well said, that intolerance is a big reason why I'm not a fan of most people. Good shot, where is this? Thank You
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I hear what you are saying. Sometimes it is best not to engage. The only problem that I see with this, and I speak to myself here, is that I think one can actually become intolerant of others in isolation. So I think (once again for myself) a balance is needed. It makes no sense to actively go out and find people who disagree with me, or who I feel are intolerant of others, but there are still many other folks who are more tolerant and fairly good to be with, so I try to choose those. Just thoughts to myself really.
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I right there with you Wayne, I agree with your point. On the photograph, of course you know I love it, love these shots of the past you find. I cant imagine those tanks of oil not freezing in your bitter winters. Thank you for submitting to the group, :iconSharpenedEdge; always appreciated.
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Thanks you very much for accepting.
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You are very welcome.
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I like that... I want to be a Vulcan.
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It's a gorgeous old building, the red on the roof really sticks out.
I try to be tolerant, but I have met a few people who were far out there. I was willing to hear what they had to say and leave it at that, but they couldn't.
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That has happened to all of us Gloria. I think my point is that we should not give up on ourselves. We may blow it from time to time. Tolerance of course does not imply accepting any and all actions and behaviours (as I mentioned). But it does mean trying to stay open to other ways of seeing life, and come at and to life. We may never achieve the needed level, but if we stop trying... it is certain that we will never succeed.
So my feeling is this. Do your best, sometimes it will work well, sometimes it won't. Forgive yourself and others when it does not work. Learn and try again as opportunities arise (not necessarily with the same person of the same situation. In some cases others are closed to any view that s different from their own. In these cases it is my opinion that it is best to simply not engage).
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All this is fine. But you have not noticed, there are people who nothing to settle somewhere, almost immediately, try to impose their beliefs, customs, language, etc? Many of these people want to be accepted their way of life, with no problems, and if they notice that others are not interested in their beliefs, then make a big fuss and assume the role of victims. I have always respected the beliefs of others (language, customs, traditions) I'm not interested in getting involved in them, because mine are good and that I do not want to change it. I have chosen not to impose anything on anyone, because I do not even want anyone to come and impose their ways of life that do not matter to me.
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actually my comments do include these concepts you raise. While I do not speak in the specifics that you have mentioned, I do specifically say that people need to treat others with dignity and respect. That applies to all persons, not just some.
We struggle with these specific issues in Canada,and at times we do well and make needed accommodations, at other times we do not fair so well. But regardless, all of us must learn to live in peace, all of us must do our part to learn to accept differences. This is not a one sided necessity, all parties must work to accept others or we shall degenerate into wars and genocides. There really is no other choice for us as a race, because difference will be with us forever.
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I think there is plenty to talk, as for all this. Anyway in I agree, in essence; Or we talked and we agree, otherwise, conflicts will become increasingly apparent.
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Totally agree Wayne - you have put it very nicely!
I have travelled enough to know these issues plague much of "humanity", especially those considered "advanced" - but have found acceptance mainly in those closer to nature - in native peoples.... Enough said?
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Maybe in part, it is a question of learning how to live more simple lives. Most people in the minority world are run of their feet trying to make money and be rich. In the process we take advantage of the people and resources from the majority world. We can't give up anything we have because we believe that we have worked for it, we have earned it, we deserve it. But in reality we have taken it on the back of others. For the most part, our wealth is stollen Majority world wealth.
I have seen a lot of injustice (see my reply to David davincipoppalag) Maybe it is time for all of us to speak.
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Totally agree. I've wondered on the same issues..and have come to the conclusion that , at a basic level, it's tribalism. If you are not a "member" of my particular tribe.. you are evil or inferior for one reason or another. Organized religion , political affiliations, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, geographic location...we tend to find so many ways to define our "tribe".. I don't know why, but it's been going on since there have been humans on the planet.
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Thanks David, I think you have nailed it. I think that expresses very well what I see in our world. It still however continues to befuddle me in terms of the why. Maybe when people really were tribalistic it was a necessary component of life for survival. But one would hope that we would be able to move beyond that way of thinking. But apparently not... we have just changed topics. Now it is not those strangers who have different colour, its the "poor", or the disabled, or those who are not gendered (physically) in the (normal) way. Actually it does not seem to matter what the differences are, humans tend to discriminate, to have an "in group" and an "out group". And I might even be happy with the "ins" and "outs" as long as they were recognized as differences, like the colour of hair or eyes. But they are not. These differences are used to subjugate others, to hurt them, to withhold the benefits of our world.
I recall stories of how the original peoples of North America welcomed and helped the white people. Colonialism is brutal, and we see the results today. Some countries were worse than others, but colonialism still exists today in my province and in the bureaucracy.
There is a divide and conquer attitude, there is a need to control, all in the guise of "well we have to ensure that government money is spent properly". The last statement is true, but it is the surrounding "text" that is the problem. What they do is fund projects unfairly. So for instance in my province (Manitoba) if you have an intellectual disability and are eligible for services, if you live in a rural area, you will have less money available to you to purchases the services you need. Your services will be under funded. The reason given is that the (rural) communities provide better. And that is true, but the reason is because the provincial government is discriminatory based upon location. In my mind funding for things needs to be level and fair. Location may cause differences if for instances the cost of services are higher or lower based upon geography, but the balance is not there. The result is that people who work in this field are paid more in the city than those who do the exact same job in the rural area (where costs for food, housing and fuel are higher). That is discrimination, but the lower wages happen because the government under funds in rural areas. Then, like typical bureaucrats they say.. "but we don't set wages that agencies pay, that is the agency responsibility". The statement is true, but it is also a lie, it is a colonialistic cop out, because while they allow the agency to set wages, they also under fund that the agency so that unless it finds and used public donations it cannot afford to pay the same wages as in the city. Yet in the city, they do not force agencies to fundraise, they pay better rates.
David, this is just one example of how insidious bias is in out world. I see the effects of it all around me. And I tend to come back the the same thing... WHY?. I just don't get why we have to put some people down. Maybe it is a power trip. Certainly in terms of our government I saw enough evidence of that.
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I think on a basic level it boils down to the need for people to "belong" .. ... they affiliate with whatever grouping makes them feel safest and most accepted, and anyone not part of it is an outsider and somehow not equal. It's one of those things that humanity needs to evolve out of , somehow...I don't know if we ever will, but it's something to hope for
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I have the hope as well David. I think over very long periods of time, change has happened. But there are many examples where even time has not erased the bias. My hope, is that we can get beyond the things that do not really matter.
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totally agree .. but we see to keep finding new ones...
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lol... that is so true. it seems to be part of the human condition
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Super Store and IKEA.
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your so welcome Wayne
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