Equality & Equal Opportunity, are they Realistic Objectives?

Both objectives are obtainable in the USA.

One could say "no", but then what? Stop trying? That doesn't seem a tenable option. I think the attempt is worthy, whether the ends will ever be achieved.

I'm with Sozobe. If you don't try you will never know.

The Cambridge dictionary says this about Equality:

"Equality often refers to the right of different groups of people to have a similar social position and receive the same treatment."

Does this sound like a Realistic Objective, even in the USA?

Complete equality of opportunity is not available in the US.

Yoikes. This all could be twisted 30 different ways from Sunday! There must be a billion differnet ways to look at these two questions.

I'll just say that there will never be 100% "everyone is equeal in all things" or "everyone will have the exact same opportunities". Beyond that I think "Equeal Opportunity" and "equality" are obtainable in a larger sense. I think we will get past things like racism and sexism but other "differences" will come in to take their places. To some extent the issue of sexism is being supplanted by the issue of sexual orientation already.

As long as any one person has something someone else wants there will be accusations of inequailty.


(Edited to fix those pesky typos!)

How can Sexual Equality be obtainable? Surely this is an oxymoron!

Depends on how you look at "Sexual Equality" Bib. Obviously, there will be anatomical differences that can't be addressed by the legal system and such but where matters of anatomity aren't relevant should people be treated differently just because of their sex?

It already occurs in many sports. Take for example the Decathlon in the Olympics.

Yes, it does happen. Does that mean that the rules of the decathlon can't be changed? You started this thread asking if these were realistic objectives - not whether those objectives have been met at this point in time.

Men and women are clearly different in physical strength, as evidenced in many Athletic events in the Olympics - in this sense, they cannot be equal.

I've seen several women that are faster and/or stronger than I am. I doubt I could win many (if any) decathalon events. But, your premise there is that the best male would beat the best female at the event in the majority of instances. Probably true.

What does that mean though? To me it just means the event design and rules are rigged toward the physiology of the male. Host a lactation contest and see who wins. But.. Do any of those events hold any relevance toward how much one should get paid for doing their job? Or whether they should be allowed to voice their views? or who gets to dominate others politically, economically or otherwise?

If your criteria for "equality" is that everything must be absolutely equeal in outcome for everyone then no, that isn't a realistic objective.

Men and women are NOT equal, with respect to Athletic events. Men are faster and stronger. Equality of physiology is one area of gender equilibrium that is not possible.

read Ashley Montague's "the natural superiority of women"

Dys: could you post a poignant extract or synopsis of the book here?

People will never be equal nor will they have equal opportunity. There are simply too many radicals.

Gender, age, wight, height, race, creed, location...
Even if all of those categories were somehow equal, then the very fact that no two genetic strands are exactly alike in different bodies should prove that equality is unattainable. Not only that, but different events will happen in each person's life at different times evoking different reactions from their brains.

There is absolutely no such thing as equality and that starts from before the sperm ever hits the egg.

"Equal Opportunity" is destroying the possibility of equality of opportunity in the US. As for equality, human beings are not equal and never will be. The quest for equality here is really a quest to redefine the categories for equality differences to be around something more socially acceptable than race or class, like effort exerted, or merit, or something. I don't think anyone wants everyone to be treated exactly the same.

Could you please explain that?

Hello...Happy New Leap Year to you all.