DiversityThis phrase became a slogan in the 2010s. It represents a value that is widely advocated and embraced not only in Japan but also in Europe and the United States.
The authoritative Cambridge Dictionary states the following:
Definition: the fact of many different types of things or people being included in something; a range of different things or people: the fact that many different types of things or people are included in something; various things and people
Example sentence: Does television adequately reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the country?
Definition: the fact that there are many different ideas or opinions about something:
Example sentence: There is a wide diversity of opinion on the issue of unilateral disarmament.
Synonyms are,difference、dissimilarityvariations
The antonyms include identity, uniformity, similarity, and homogeneity.
However, despite the widespread emphasis on the importance of diversity,Many people find this very strange.There are several reasons.
- Reason 1
The message of diversity feels contradictory. The idea that "diversity is important"—to strongly assert this single point as a society—eliminates the diversity of opinions that "diversity is not important."
In other words”If you're going to "protect diversity," then you should naturally also protect the opinion that "diversity is not important," but the fact that you're failing to do so makes it feel like a contradiction in your definition.That's where people feel something is off. - Reason 2
It's possible that what people find comfortable varies from person to person.
Some people find diversity comfortable, while others believe that conforming to the whole is optimal.
Diversity (respect for the individual) ←→ Unity of the whole (individuals conforming to the whole)
People who find diversity comfortable... and those who find overall unity comfortable (they become anxious imagining that excessive respect for the individual will lead to a lack of overall social unity and the collapse of society).
Thus, because what brings comfort to one's mind can be the complete opposite, what is heaven for one person can be hell for another.
*The difference in what people perceive as comfortable is explained below ↓
So, when is diversity actually useful?
Let's say there is an organization X. Within X, there are many people with different characteristics (let's say A, B, C, and D). Conversely, let's say there are people with similar characteristics (let's say E, F, G, and H) in an organization Y.
- Organization X (A,B,C,D)
*A, B, C, and D all have very different personalities. - Organization Y (E,F,G,H)
*E, F, G, and H are similar people, meaning E=F=G=H.
In that case, if any external threat were to strike, it would be Organization X that is capable of responding broadly."The more diversity there is within an organization, the better it can respond to external threats and seize unknown opportunities."That's right.
Let's consider the development of a smartphone app as an example. Let's assume the number represents age.
- Organization X (A,B,C,D)
*A=20(male),B=30(female),C=40(male),D=50(female) - Organization Y (E,F,G,H)
*E=50 (male), F=50 (male), G= (male), H=50 (male)
"Question: Which of X and Y allows for a wider range of smartphone app development? Which one is more conducive to generating ideas?"
It's obvious, isn't it? Of course, it's X. This is because people with different experiences can shuffle ideas together, as follows. As a result, a diverse range of ideas are conceived within the organization.
Therefore,Diverse organizations are better at seizing opportunities and adapting to change, and in such cases, they often develop more than uniform organizations.And it could be said that the advantages of this are being highlighted in modern times.
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