M. Ward
Writing 140/ IR 100
December 7, 2007 Unity and Diversity: Finding the Proper Balance Unity and diversity are both qualities to be desired within society. Both, when balanced with one another, provide for the strongest form of society in which all are unified under some ideas, but differences are tolerated and accepted. One of the strongest factors of determining the present status of unity and diversity is the current state of affairs within a community. The current state of affairs can be altered by a number of issues, some planned and recurring, such as elections years, and some unexpected altogether, such as natural disasters. Within the global community, the current state of a variety of affairs greatly affects the balance of unity and diversity amongst the global community along racial, socioeconomic, gender, age, or political lines. Recent history provides many examples of unity and diversity shifting and changing in balance between each other. However, when in perfect harmony, unity and diversity are equally prevalent and provide for the most levelheaded decisions to be made and actions to be taken. Before delving into the instances that spur strong unity or strong diversity within society, the terms we are working with must be properly defined and understood. For the sake of this argument, unity can be defined simply as concord, harmony, or agreement among a number of individuals. Diversity, however, may be a harder term to classify for these purposes. As opposed to diversity meaning the presence of variety, it will instead be defined differently as a division amongst peoples. Unity and diversity are not normally considered antonyms of each other, and so comparing them can prove difficult. However, these definitions cause for them to become more opposing ideas, and so with these definitions we are now ready to tackle major instances of unity and diversity that have occurred from the recent past. Social