Pros And Cons Of Diversity In The United States

The Pros and Cons of Diversity in the United States

Diversity throughout the United States has had considerably divergent pros and cons, especially when the process of diversifying is done naturally, or by force. There is much interest in diversification because it has important consequences, including how an individual may feel about themselves and or other members of an organization, communication patterns, work and academic performance, the distribution of resources, and so on. The implications of diversity are everlasting, and can not be established empirically. No theory can explain and or differentiate the relationship, along with the aspects of diversity and its possible consequences. Throughout history, diversity has strengthened
our nation by bringing different perspectives together, giving us more insight and confidence in tackling day to day challenges more effectively. In an article by Susan E. Jackson titled, The Consequences of Diversity in Multidisciplinary Work Teams, Jackson went into great depth behind the true nature of diversity in multidisciplinary teams. In her writings she said, “Short-term team effects are described first, including diversity's effects on internal team dynamics and diversity's effects on the team's external relationships. Then longer-term outcomes are considered, including longer-term consequences for individuals and the team as a whole” (Jackson, 1996). When done naturally, diversity can be great, but when forcing it to a level where it is viewed as being more important than our commonalities, it can and will divide us, as well as destroy us as a nation. In productive environments, individuals with views and backgrounds that are very different from our own can cause confusion and conflict.
Whether you are in a school, a workplace, or just out and about, constructive disagreements among ethnically diverse individuals can lead to classism, prevent trustworthy relationships, and impede work advancements. In an article by Chris van Mossevelde titled, The Pros and Cons to Diversity, Mossevelde said, “Dissimilar cultural identities and values, or simply said when people lack things in common, could negatively affect the overall team spirit that is essential for reaching high-levels of productivity” (Mossevelde, 2012). With that being said, you could argue that being exposed to various backgrounds and cultures that think differently from the way we do draw unique opportunities for us to think outside the box. These new ways of thinking can lead us to more innovative inventions. In a nutshell, diversity does not bother people for the most part. Although, when it is taken to the point where legislation is endlessly built around other cultures, races, and religions, it is pretty understandable, but not justified, that many long lasting citizens get fed up, and simply tired of pressing number one for English. Encouraging individuals to think of themselves as being separate from others is good, but hand feeding it to us in our everyday lives can be risky, and to some,
intolerable. By having a variety of people with ranging skills and experiences in a work environment, we have the brainpower to address specialized challenges more effectively, benefiting businesses economically, politically, and structurally all over the world.
The proof is in the pudding. In his article, The Pros and Cons to Diversity, Chris van Mossevelde, discussed various opinions about diversity in work environments. In his writings he said “A diverse workforce knows how to market and sell products & services to a diverse consumer population; marketing is all about understanding the end-consumer and there is no better way of doing it than by recruiting the people you’re trying to sell to” (Mossevelde, 2012). If done naturally, diversity can increase business profitability greatly. On the other hand, there is always a chance that diversity can cause a business to lose money. In a company, workers may have contrasting opinions on how a certain business procedure should be managed, which can cause resentment. As Chris van Mossevelde stated in the previously mentioned article, “Decision-making can be delayed due to diverging views and opinions, thus corporate decisions and actions take time” (Mossevelde, 2012). It goes without saying that this is even more likely to happen if there is a lot of diversity in that particular workplace. This can cause workers to do their own thing, especially if there is no authority driven protocol to ensure the common practices are done
efficiently. Over the last decade, middle-class parents started sending their children to public schools with diversity among the students. Done as an attempt to reinforce the “common schooling” ideal, parents believe that they are helping their children learn more about the world. In an article by, Michael Petrilli titled, The Pros and Cons of Choosing a Diverse School for Your Child, he discussed by using his personal experiences as an example, the pros and cons of exposing your children to diverse environments at a young age. In his writings Petrilli stated, “Probably the most important thing to learn is whether the principal is a strong leader and open to tackling these vexing issues of race and class head-on. After all, it takes an extraordinary person to bring together students, teachers, and parents of diverse cultures and backgrounds and make the mix work effectively” (Petrilli, 2014). Parents that want to send their children to schools with much diversity more often than not, have to ditch trying to find a school that is more progressive and artsy. Parents who do so, evidently risk the safety of their children due to the increased odds of having one or more disruptive students in the same class. This can slow them down academically, as well as expose them to other harmful things at a younger age. On a better note, schools throughout the United States are pushing to provide exciting multicultural opportunities by enabling more and more diversification among their students. This can give children an opportunity to learn how to live and communicate comfortably in such a diverse twenty-first-century. As a parent, deciding to expose your child to the open world of diversity and its dangers, or keeping them sheltered from other cultures in a more well kept, and private educational environment is a big decision. It is choices like this can completely change a child's life for the better or worse. So what exactly are the pros and cons of diversity in the United States? Well, when it comes to diversity, it is important for us to recognize and welcome cultural differences. It is also imperative to communicate and understand differences, and that we adapt to new employees instead of enforcing our traditional culture on them. When occurring naturally, diversity brings people together through knowledge and effective productivity. A diverse group has many advantages such as, increased adaptability, a variety of viewpoints, and more creative innovations. Every day more and more challenges among diverse individuals like miscommunication and resentment occur. This is normal and can usually be fixed with simple communication, but when people are diversified by force, these problems can become significantly worse. There is no overall pro or con for diversity in the United States. It all boils down to an individual's moral development, and ability to embrace other cultures, religions, sexualities, and races.