Pluralism — An explanation through the ABC’s
The world that we live in today is one that is very connected. Social media and the internet have enabled people from all across the globe to converse and understand each other. Despite us being more linked globally, in many countries, as evidence by recent elections, nationalistic ideologies are increasing.
Much of the conflict in our world seems to derive from the oppression of diversity, and a lack of knowledge about those who are different. The principle of understanding perspectives from different populations, such as those of different cultures and religious groups, is more important now than ever.
Pluralism is defined as:
“An ethic of respect for diversity. A pluralistic society is one in which the dignity of each person is recognized, and every person in society feels like they belong” (The Global Centre for Pluralism).
Although it has been defined above, the meaning can be hard to grasp because it seems ambiguous. To help I have created the ABC’s of pluralism. Each word corresponds with a letter in the alphabet, significant to understanding what pluralism is. Next to each word I have also included a phrase which links it back to pluralism. These concepts are essential to understanding pluralism, analogous to the ABC story’s teaching us basic words in English.
A is for acceptance — accepting people that are different can broaden one’s point of view
B is for belonging — feeling a sense of community
C is for curiosity —curiosity about others leads to increased tolerance
D is for diversity — this is what makes our world interesting
E is for empathy — empathy fuels connection
F is for friendship — having friends with different perspectives can enrich our lives
G is for globalization — technology has made our world a very small place
H is for happiness — what we all strive for and should want from each other
I is for interconnectedness —a reality to embrace in our everyday lives
J is for joy — which can be expressed in many different forms
K is for kinship —who we are friends with should not be limited by our history
L is for love — love is for all people
M is for music — the universal language
N is for newcomer — this exists in the history of all our families; a fact that none of us should forget
O is for open-mindedness — a constant state of mind we should all adopt
P is for PLURALISM —essential to the development and flourishing of humanity
Hopefully now you have a better understanding of pluralism. What you may have noticed is how open to interpretation this concept is — however the main principle will remain the same throughout different perspectives: pluralism is a method of viewing the differences we have as a way of enriching our lives while recognizing that there is not one-size fits all when it comes to the needs of different populations.
Every person will play a different role in achieving a pluralistic society. Change is possible and starts with small actions. Pluralism starts with you.
