Once as a little girl I was given a lesson on equality by my father. The conversation went like this:
What do you think of equality?
I dont know
When your teacher in the staff room offers you a seat when you enter - is that equality?
Yes - she is allowing me to do that - so yes it is equality
Freedom and equality are not given - do you know that?
Me thoroughly confused
Here let me explain - when you go the staff room and sit on a chair and when your teacher does not say anything about it - only then you can assume there is equality in that relationship.
Today I realize he had simplified the abstract concept using teacher and staff room as an example - but the lesson is so deep rooted in me that I shudder and abhor any inherent power structure - be it schools, offices or home.
Wish he had lived longer, at least for me to check if I understood the word correctly now.
3 comments:
I would not agree that this concept relates to equality.. When it comes to school, normally children are not expected to sit in the same seat as the teacher because they are expected to learn the basic concepts of respect.. They are taught that it is not respectful to sit when someone older than you in age and experience is standing.. It is a very simple concept..
At work place I have to say that these things need not be followed and if it followed it 100% qualifies for discrimination.. But, at home the same funda applies.. If my dad is standing, I definitely would offer the chair to him and prefer to stand..
Sitting, standing are only examples given to explain the concept to a eight year old (this is how old I was when my dad spoke to me), when I moved beyond the example it made sense to me after many years - i see that you are stuck with the example - try to go beyond it
Yea now I find it shocking when someone tells me that she feels so happy in her marriage because her husband "allows" her the freedom to do so many things.
But I wish I had learnt to question authority when I was young.
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