Voice of youth: Downside to benefits of plurality

Sydney
10 August 2003

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Voice of youth: Downside to benefits of plurality

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Voice of youth: Downside to benefits of plurality

By Carmel Taffa

Public opinion in contemporary Australian culture, in fact, in the entire Western world, has established plurality as an important virtue.

We don’t want to limit ourselves to one way of doing things. We don’t want to be told how we should think and what we should do.

We value diversity and acknowledge a wide variety of peoples, cultures, backgrounds, opinions and influences.

Plurality is so important to us it is enshrined in legislation.

Using a racist slur becomes racial vilification and we can be fined or jailed for it. Breaches of equal opportunity in the workplace carry heavy penalties.

No more do we want the ghosts of racial prejudice, sexual inequality or religious intolerance to haunt us.

All people, no matter where they’re from or what they believe, have a right to be who they are, worship whom they want, believe what they like and live as they please. Who are we to pass judgment on whether such and such a person should not do this, or such and such a person should believe that, etc?

Of course, a spirit of plurality, properly understood, values the rights of individuals. It respects people’s choices, their way of life and their freedom.

This creates a more harmonious society, where the intrinsic value of people and their freedom is given priority over small-minded prejudice in all its forms.

This acceptance of others and their way of life is seen as a self-evident path to justice and peace for all.

Most of us believe this.

Most of us accept it.

However, is there some hidden danger lurking somewhere in this utopian view? What possible disadvantage could there be in accepting others as they are, in tolerating everyone’s view? None, but only if a society genuinely values human beings and truth above the economy, above political correctness and above apathy.

I love Australia and the Australian people; I love many things about our culture and way of life.

But, sadly, as a society, I believe we do not genuinely value human beings and truth above our economy, above political correctness or above apathy. I suppose this is a debatable point, and in 500 words I can’t go into all my arguments, except to cite a few.

When you look at how much Australians spend on chocolate, cosmetics, gambling and credit card debt each year, and when you consider the misery in our midst, you have to wonder.

Australians do give, but the disproportion is staggering.

Consider also the domestic violence that racks our families, the widespread abuse of children in all its forms, the suicide and drug abuse, the policies we have on immigration and our treatment of minority groups.

This picture is most definitely not one that reflects a healthy respect for human beings or the truth.

When a society values wealth and strength at the expense of truth and human beings, plurality becomes a weak permissiveness that allows wickedness to flourish. It wouldn’t even recognise wickedness for what it is.

“Oh, you’re a fanatic who terrorises people who disagree with you? That’s fine.”

“Oh, you earn a living killing unborn children? No worries, that’s your right.”

There are some things it’s better not to tolerate.

Carmel Taffa is the women’s ministry co-ordinator in the Sydney University Chaplaincy Team based at the John Paul II Student Resource Centre, Level 1, 245 Broadway 2007. Call 9518 6415 or visit www.usydcc.org.