Discrimination.
The word has a strong negative connotation in today’s society and is often, if not always, associated with racism and gender inequality. Why would anyone claim that discrimination is a virtue? Shouldn’t everyone be treated as equals? However, before we hasten to conclusions, we must first make sure we know the terms of our claims. To discriminate, given the right perspective and context, is something we all would want to be capable of.
The word “discrimination,” according to the Oxford Dictionary, has two definitions; the first of which is “the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things” and the second “recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another.” Delving into the etymology of the word, one learns that the term appeared in the early 17th century from the Latin verb "discriminat," which means “distinguished between.” It was only after the American Civil War and the abolishment of slavery that the word “discrimination” adopted its second definition.
Taking the original definition of discrimination, the topic being discussed here is whether the ability to identify differences is a quality that is desirable in a good person. Racism and gender inequality aside, the idea of differences itself is uncomfortable and sensitive, especially in a country where equality is advocated around every corner. Absolute equality is not a realistic goal, but a utopian notion. A child prodigy and a mentally handicapped child will never be equals and neither will a mentally stable person and a paranoid schizophrenic.
Discrimination is not only useful but also necessary. For example, a boss needs to be able to discriminate between potential employees who will be of value to the firm and those who will not benefit the firm. On a different level, we all need to be able to tell the difference between a person who is worth our time and deserves to be in our lives and a person who is nothing but bad news.
Discrimination gets a bad rap because of a linguistic mistake. The term has become almost synonymous with prejudice over the years, which is incorrect because prejudice is about making decisions and forming opinions that are arbitrary and not based on reason. The key is to discriminate between the two (see what I did there?). As a society, we should stop pretending that everyone should be equal; instead, we should accept and embrace the reality of differences and distinctions, whilst at the same time striving towards a world where everyone simply receives the opportunities that they earn.
