The only label that matters
Some car company is running a diversity ad during the Olympics. Various Olympians announce they are "black," "a cancer patient," and so on. Ibtihaj Muhammad pops up on screen and says "Muslim."
The announcer finally says, "The only label that matters is Olympian."
This is supposed to be a warm expression of human solidarity. But it is actually a product of the ideology of human rights, and, as such, is actually massively disrespectful of the very diversity it is supposed to be honoring!
Because, according to the announcer, being Muslim does not matter whatsoever! (And this is what the ideology of human rights holds: religion is just a private whim, of no more importance than someone liking strawberry ice cream.) But to a devout Muslim, there can be nothing of more significance than their being a Muslim: There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is His messenger.
The "diversity" of the ideology of human rights is a sham.
UPDATE: And by the way, the "only label that matters" is rather elitist, isn't it? After all, that labels all the rest of us "non-Olympians," and, I guess, not worthy of attention.
The announcer finally says, "The only label that matters is Olympian."
This is supposed to be a warm expression of human solidarity. But it is actually a product of the ideology of human rights, and, as such, is actually massively disrespectful of the very diversity it is supposed to be honoring!
Because, according to the announcer, being Muslim does not matter whatsoever! (And this is what the ideology of human rights holds: religion is just a private whim, of no more importance than someone liking strawberry ice cream.) But to a devout Muslim, there can be nothing of more significance than their being a Muslim: There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is His messenger.
The "diversity" of the ideology of human rights is a sham.
UPDATE: And by the way, the "only label that matters" is rather elitist, isn't it? After all, that labels all the rest of us "non-Olympians," and, I guess, not worthy of attention.
One person's sham is another's dream.
ReplyDeleteLord, I *realize* that enlightenment liberalism dreams of crushing out all actual human diversity and turning everyone into a post-modern Western utility-maximizing consumer.
DeleteI am just noting that calling that "diversity" is a bit of a scam!
"Lord, I realize that enlightenment liberalism…turning everyone into a post-modern Western utility-maximizing consumer."
DeleteWhat the hell did I just read?
From that perspective, enlightenment liberalism is the latest universalist religion. The Abrahamic faiths proclaim one god regardless of language, ethnicity or race. Whereas pagans thought each people had their own tribal god.
DeleteLiberals believe their values are(or should be) universal, like the Muslims and (at least until recently) Christians.
Of course, the Olympics itself divides competitors into teams based on nationality. And it has separate events for men and women. So I guess those labels matter too.
ReplyDeleteBut other than that!