Let’s Strive to be Equal

Let’s Strive to be Equal                                                                                     021108

            ‘Life is not fair.’ This statement is said so many times that there are many people who believe it without questioning what it really means. What they refuse to ask is whether it was meant to be fair in the first place. I will not attempt to answer that question at the moment but what I hear when I try to analyse that statement is that it would have been better if all of us were the same or at least if we had the same opportunities and resources. This is difficult to achieve and I am sure all of us agree about this fact but at least we can strive to be like those who are more advantaged than we are. No one should have the monopoly of riches or any other resources that we wish to have.

I am happy that there are many people who are striving to make things work out in their own situations. There is, however another group of people which feels strongly that we must be equal but what they do to make us equal is not the best. The have the PHD syndrome. The “pull him/her down” thinkers who are like crabs, which do not allow any other to climb out of the bucket, no matter how easy it is to reach freedom. They would rather starve together in the bucket than allow one to be better than the rest by leaving others inside.

We can not all be the same by making the strong among us weak. There are many strong among us who have supported us through hard times. We know beyond doubt in some cases that without these people we might be literally dead today. Despite this, there are others who insist that we all be the same. This they try to accomplish by weakening the strong among us so that we are a bunch of weaklings. This is dangerous in that if a serious problem arises that can only be solved by the strong, then the whole bunch is doomed to the grave because that problem remains unsolved forever. If you are weak and feel strongly that you want to be like the strong, then you can go ahead and learn from them how they became strong and work hard to be like them. This will strengthen you without weakening the others. The community is better for it because there is one more to solve problems if they ever arise. A community with one more strong person is better than one with one less. Strive, therefore, to be like the strong, not by pulling them down but by rising up to be like them.

We can not all be the same by making the rich poorer. The rich among us have many things that we may never have. There are many needy in our midst today that if we had enough rich men among us who would only share a fraction of their riches all would have their needs met. The problem is that those who had undertaken to be rich where killed before they made it. The community felt they were a threat so it was good to make everyone the same. Others who survived the witch’s spells had thieves looting all they had gathered over the years. The reason is that these men and women know how to gather riches quickly so they will be fine. Sure enough in no time they get back most of the assets that they lose to thieves, but that does not stop the thieves. They come back again and again, no wonder these rich men are not able to assist the underprivileged now that more people need the rich man’s donations than in times past.

If all men would but sit under the feet of these well-to-do and learn how to make money as fast as they do, the community would be full of rich men and who would benefit but the community itself. The rich among us do not mind having others equally rich or even better. The problem is that the poor are refusing to rise up to the occasion and learn what it takes to be rich especially before crisis times come. Let everyone be the same as far as riches are concerned; but may it be in that everyone is striving to be like the rich not by tying to pull them down.

We can not all be the same by making the fast among us to be slow. In a marathon race there are those who are known as pace setters. These people are faster than the rest and everyone tries to keep up with them throughout the race. In most races apart from the medal that is given to the first to cross the line there is the issue of time. Every athlete wants to set a new record. Other people’s times are so slow that they are miles off the record. If such people get the gold medal there will be a serious problem. All the same, the slow runners are trying to beat their individual times and should work hard in this regard but they should by no means try to be equal to the fast by reducing the pace setter’s speed. The fast must be allowed to complete the race without the hindrance of the slow.

If you want to be a success in life, stop being jealousy if you see someone succeeding in any area of life. It is wise to go to the person and ask how he/she is managing and work hard to reach their level. It is not easy but it is the only sure way to reach the great heights you have always aspired to achieve. The trick is not in pulling others down but in asking them to pull you up. Anyone out of the pit will be more than happy to pull you out provided you are not trying to pull him/her down where you are. Learn from those above how they made it and do the same and you will be as successful as they are.