Post 5 - Differences

People are inherently different. I don't need any reading to tell me that. It is well and good that everyone is different. God made us this way, after all. The problem comes when we assume that differences mean that one trait is the "best" trait. People are inherently competitive, and it can be detrimental to peers.
It is really very scary to read about racial, social and class abuse. I know it is always out there, but I shudder at the idea that someone would bully another because of the color of their skin, or their clothes or ethnicity. To be honest, I am sometimes confused when people are described using their skin color or ethnicity. I don't really think of people in that context, for some reason. Stereotypes serve a purpose in allowing us to simplify the world around us and categorize it in easy ways, but it is vital that we don't let this tendency spread to our treatment of our fellow man.
The one that stereotype that bugs the most is that of the current standard of beauty for women. I hate it when a girl doesn't believe that she is beautiful. And I don't use the word "hate" lightly. A girl's self-image is a powerful thing. I don't blame this self esteem issue on the girl, but the society around her that tells her that she needs to be something other than what she is.
In a lot of ways, I think that the best way to be authentic in our work is to largely ignore these stereotypes. It is important that we know they are there, and avoid slipping into the trap of playing to the stereotypes. But the same ill effect can come the other way around; I believe that when we are overly conscious of being "politically correct" we lose our deeper meaning. We let our work be what it will be, and shortcomings can be forgiven.
Now, I have over generalized. I realize that the issue of handling differences sensitively is not an easy subject. It really is important to keep people's feelings in mind with political correctness. But isn't it possible that we may think a little too much about the issue inherent with differences as a society? Really, we should celebrate what we have in common with one another, and accept what diversifies us. But this is too much to ask of society as a whole. These are just my thoughts.