Intelligence and "Equality" LO9445

Michael McMaster (Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk)
Sun, 25 Aug 1996 08:49:15 +0000

Replying to LO9379 --

Barry, I hesitate to respond because we can get into a place which,
each time, ends up at "Yes but look at the reality (statistics, etc)"
and will also frequently end up with some version of "You're just
defending your own privelege." But I'll risk it.

My responses are:
- it may be that the realities DO match the theory and we have no way
of seeing it because it is always the case. We can look at both
countries and individuals and see that they do find SOME work even
though others are better at all things.
- it may be that the natural operation of the results pointed at by
the theory are severely thwarted by laws, customs, etc. (This can be
seen in the caste system of India, for example.)
- it may also be that the very policies which are attempting to
"legislate equality" are the source of many of the failings
- and it certainly may be that this is not the whole story and that
learning, development, contribution, opportunities for participation
are also needed.

An example of this that I find striking and disturbing is that
Western Europe is for the freeing of Eastern Europe but is also
forbidding Eastern Europe the opportunity to participate in their
markets. It is not the natural operation of things that is the
problem, it's the legislated protection of self-interest that is the
source of the problem.
Michael McMaster : Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk
book cafe site : http://www.vision-nest.com/BTBookCafe
Intelligence is the underlying organisational principle
of the universe. Heraclitus

-- 

Michael McMaster <Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>