This week I completed some required diversity training at my workplace. One topic was inclusion. One slide said, "Inclusion means ensuring that all members of society have equivalent access and opportunities in life." A noble thought. The slide went on to say, "Fighting exclusion of individuals or groups based on race, sex, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, height/weight, disability, marital/parental status and other similar characteristics is an important part of creating an inclusive environment." Again, these are worthy objectives, (even though it is basically saying 'fighting exclusion is an important part of inclusion'). Despite the inanity of this statement, one day I believe a majority of us will understand the importance of an all-encompassing Universal inclusion. But...
- At our current rate of progress it may be too late;
- It feels like these efforts toward inclusion are mostly driven by those already included;
- It feels like those already included are those with greater access to power / money;
- It feels like those designated for inclusion are those with much less access to power / money; and
- By making these designations, those already included with greater access to power / money, are ensuring that those "to be included" are reminded of their place.
Think about the following:
- If we focus on inclusion, we focus on differences, which (though typically unspoken), reinforce divisiveness by clearly identifying an us and a them.
- To practice Inclusion one must direct their thoughts outwardly toward others.
- This practice of inclusion is condescending, partially because inclusion assumes another individual 'wants' to be a part of your group.
- Teaching and preaching inclusion may simply encourage political correctness and perpetuate divisiveness.
- This practice of inclusion subverts, then nullifies, the necessity of inner truthfulness.
Instead of inclusion (as described above), I recommend exclusion (as described below):
- To practice exclusion one must direct their thoughts inwardly toward oneself.
- To practice exclusion I must first realize that I am no more and no less necessary than any other past, present, or future individual;
- which forces me to acknowledge that if I must work to include others, others must also work to include me;
- which logically reminds me that, (though I may not realize it from the warmth, security, and comfort of my in-group's womb), I am every bit as excluded as every other (past, present, and future) individual.
- Once I analyze and absorb this information, I realize that, (because I have a sense of "me" and because I cannot NOT see things from this internal, biased perspective), my perspective requires me to put an emphasis on my personal exclusion; a greater emphasis than what I put on either the exclusion or inclusion of others.
- When I do this, at best I am expending my effort to make productive contributions so I may (on occasion) be included when and where I choose.
- And when I expend my effort in this regard, it becomes unnecessary to expend effort outwardly toward inclusion of others because I am the one that is excluded and working to be included.
- Additionally, (by sincerely excluding myself first), this practice demands that I be more tolerant of others.
- And I have discovered that when, through this practice of exclusion, I make productive contributions, suddenly we are of one mind;
- which I believe is the ultimate, stated purpose of inclusion.
- In other words, exclusion has the potential to create one Universal group of excluded individuals, each one more understanding of each other one within their common ground of exclusion.
- This in turn, by augmenting tolerance and understanding, allows for continued diversity, and individual and group expression, still within this common ground.
- We will never find an authentic common ground with inclusion.
- Inclusion is badly misdirected.
- Inclusion (as it is currently practiced) may be a baby step toward this personal practice of exclusion; but we need giant steps---before it is too late.
- Perhaps instead of "Exclusion" (which may carry some negative connotation), we should think of this as Esoteric Isolation leading to a universally productive interdependence.
- Practicing exclusion may create a painful sensitivity to injustice and unfairness that in turn may lead to uncontrolled anger or other destructive turmoil.
- I cannot fight injustice or unfairness from the comfort and security of my position as a white, college-educated male.
- Nor can I fight injustice and unfairness as an over-50, under-employed, disabled man.
- I can only fight injustice and unfairness by making productive contributions as an excluded individual working to be included.
- Esoteric isolation is very difficult. By nature we are a social animal, and peer pressure is very real.
- The greater one's feelings of comfort and security, and the greater one's access to power / money, the greater the difficulty in practicing esoteric isolation.
- Esoteric isolation requires a degree of inner stoicism and discipline sufficient to overcome the potential for destructive turmoil in the face of inner truthfulness.
Conclusions (in this moment):
- If the roles were reversed---(between those included with access, and those excluded with much less access)---I believe the reversal would ultimately include the practices (as described above), and we would ultimately be no better off.
- To progress more rapidly, (as I believe is necessary to avoid "too late"), a very large majority of those included with access must choose esoteric isolation and practice exclusion as described above.
- I believe this to be unlikely.
- I will continue to fight injustice and unfairness by making productive contributions as an excluded individual working to be included.
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