Thad Whitfield - Final Blog Post H01
Kieran Setiya - Injustice chp. 5
Injustice
There is injustice all around us in this world. One scroll through the New York Times, and you will see countless articles about people being hurt. For some, it is natural disasters that bring havoc against them, and for others, it is their country’s government that discriminates against them. Setiya calls this doom scrolling. Scrolling and being bombarded with bad news makes it easy to feel hopeless. Unfortunately, many have become numb to it instead. I, for one, have seen this in my own life. Phrases like “that’s life,” “just move on,” or “life’s not fair,” come to my mind. And while this is true, it does not mean we can’t do something to help.
Injustice seems so prevalent in this world that we can’t ever tackle it. To start, let’s define the word. People often associate the word injustice with unfairness; while they are similar, there are key differences. It is unfair that I am not 6’2’’, and yet it is not unjust. Injustice is when something is denied to one group and yet granted to another. Justice can and should always be granted, but fairness cannot.
One of the reasons why justice is so hard is that even “fair” systems (on the surface) can create injustice. An example Setiya uses is taxpayer dollars paying for public education. At first glance, this seems to be a fair system, but it does not turn out that way. Poor communities pay fewer taxes, so their public education is worse. Therefore, they are less likely to pursue a high level of education, which decreases their chances of getting a high-paying job. You see where this is headed. It is a cycle, and it is easy to get stuck. That doesn’t sound fair to me. Any system that does not actively combat the injustice deeply rooted in this country is unfair. So we have to be careful as a country that we are striving for justice, not so-called fairness. Fairness is long gone due to our country’s past, but we can strive to make it just. That is why the Pledge of Allegiance says “liberty and justice for all.” A just system actively dismantles the barriers that maintain inequality.
Now that we have a definition, you must ask yourself if you even care. It seems straightforward that we should all care, and yet it is evident that so many do not. Or at least many people do not care enough to do anything. Simone Weil was outside this category. She was a French philosopher who believed in self-sacrifice and displayed it at a young age. At age six, Weil refused to eat sugar because the soldiers at the front line did not have any. She continued to practice self-sacrifice to bring awareness to the many who were suffering and ultimately died from starvation at the age of 34. We can all agree we do not have to do what Weil did, but that is what it means to care. People who really care take action.
As Setiya points out, if that is what it takes, maybe I do not care as much as I thought. So, let us go back and reinforce the question of why. Why should we care? Setiya hits on this at the beginning of the chapter and looks to philosophy for an argument to prove that we should.
Do you believe it is your moral obligation to help as a citizen of the world? Immanuel Kant would say it is. He claims that we can not be truly free without conforming to the moral law, treating others not just as means but as ends. Yet, there is no way to prove this. It is impossible to prove you cannot be truly free because who determines what it means to be truly free? Scientific studies have also found that certain people are born with higher levels of empathy. People with higher levels of empathy are likelier to help, while people born with less empathy are less likely. As Setiya says, if justice does not call out to you, Kant is unlikely to help. At the end of the day, the morals you choose to follow are up to you.
For those who feel called, the next question that comes to mind is: What are we supposed to do to help? As I mentioned earlier, it is a very daunting reality. There is so much that needs to be done it is hard to get yourself to start. Setiya talks about this state of paralysis that we can get thrown into, and yet that is the worst thing you can do. The answer is to try: inform yourself, make yourself aware, and take action. Do not go numb to the injustices around you. From a position of understanding, you can take action.
What does taking action look like? There are many different ways you can take action, some are more demanding than others but anything is better than nothing. An easy way you can help is to bring awareness. This can be done by reposting stories or articles. Especially information from underrepresented communities. Using the platform that you are fortunate enough to have is important. Any time you can humble yourself to lift others up you are helping fight injustice. Another way is through donations. Donations of your money and time make an impact. Food banks and protests are good examples. Find something you care about and give up something of yours to help. In the book Setiya talked about how he had given up his time to participate in marches for climate change. Climate Change is something that Setiya deeply cares about and therefore he gave up his time to help.
We can all agree that the world would be a better place if injustice did not exist. Unfortunately injustice is a problem that will never be solved yet that does not mean we should not try. Start small and create the ripple effects in your community that can ultimately lead to change. Do not let the fear of not helping enough stop you from helping at all.
Questions
Do you all think justice is a moral obligation or a choice?
Why do you think some people feel the need to help more than others?
Do you think a just society is an achievable goal?
Articles - Fairness and Injustice
Our Education System is Unjust
Simone Weil's Morning Checklist
Videos - Chose to Hope in a World of Injustice
We need to talk about Injustice
"injustice is a problem that will never be solved" - Never say never.
ReplyDeleteSprinkle in a few links, etc. (Don't just list them at the end.)