The Searcher Who Wants to Give

A person voiced that “this generation is all about diversity, except diversity of thought”.

This is such an important statement. No diversity matters if there is no diversity of thought, because it’s by thought that we perceive, discern, categorize and come to an understanding of them and anything else.

Allowing the very existence of that to happen in various ways is the very foundation of truth-seeking. Diversity of thought is thus another word for truth-seeking and its most basic legitimacy.

Of course, as expected, while still astonishing to me, those words were then twisted in the comments section. One person commented, in a similar tone as most of the other counter-arguments I read:

“If by diversity of thought you mean being racist, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic… Well yes, nobody wants your freedom [redacted].”

I can’t avoid mentioning how “phobic” this arguments sounds, by merit of its own logic. I find a level of “phobia” and discourtesy I seldom witness from those who believe in diversity of thought.

And “xenophobia”? The word ‘xeno’ means ‘strange’. Strangeness isn’t only by merit of country, but can also be by merit of viewpoints!

But no, diversity of thought doesn’t mean all those things mentioned in the counter-argument.

Some things it means are;

• being allowed to say “no, I don’t find this to be racist, xenophobic, homophobic or transphobic”.
  
• being allowed to examine what “racist, xenophobic, homophobic or transphobic” means or should mean.
  
• being allowed to examine what the moral framework of something being “racist, xenophobic, homophobic or transphobic” should mean.
  
• being allowed to seek truth, and provide new or additional perspectives.
  
• being allowed to dissent.
  
• advocating for a free society, as in general freedom, not a society governed by perpetual shackles in even the most minuscule matters. (Those who object to diversity of thought often argue for progressiveness, but without freedom, there can be no progressiveness at all).

All of this, the counter-argument counters, patronizes and stifles!

And another thing that is proven by these people objecting to “diversity of thought”, is that diversity isn’t always something that is necessarily good.

But diversity of thought is what truly ensures that productive diversity can exist, even if we find it objectionable.

So diversity of thought is the true diversity, which in practice ensures what those people seek to ensure, who prevent it by effectively disavowing what will lead to it!

And as usual, the counter-argument is made up only of personal attacks. Never actually examining the point presented or the meaning of those personal attacks.

If an ideology cannot stand the test of opposing ideas, it only shows it doesn’t have any logic or reason behind it, thereby proving it is inherently flawed. Diversity of thought both allows that test, and stands it.

Another person commented:

“You speak about diversity of thought, yet you don’t allow it by arguing against those who oppose it.”

To this I reply with the famous saying:

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

No one said diversity of thought means you can’t disagree with others. Rather, disagreement is in the essence of diversity of thought, and this is what makes it so important and superior. One can disagree and still allow disagreement. Diversity of thought means tolerance of various ideas, not holding them universally and equally valid.

If you don’t believe in diversity of thought, please ask yourself this question:

How will we ever reach truth, if we aren’t even allowed to consider or entertain it?