More on the triumph of groupthink: diversity

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Anyone involved in Government, public administration or the “third sector” (a term I loathe and hate – but that’s for another day) will have gotten pretty used to the concept of “diversity”. Or at least to the practical manifestations of that concept. Now, as those who know me are aware, I have a little bit of a problem with this concept and with the manner in which it is both exploited and also distorts decisions, policy and activity.

Sadly, the most common response of advocates for the idea of “diversity” is accusation – “that’s just racist”; “you’re a homophobe”; “don’t you care about the disabled”. So most of us simply accept the inevitable, bow our heads and carry on. This – another triumph of the bully – merely gives free rein to those who either make their careers in the identification of prejudice and discrimination or else seek advantage from exploitation of such allegations.

However, there is a fundamental objection to the idea of “diversity” as practiced and promoted – it depends on us being defined solely by the groups of which we are (by choice, by birth or by accident) a member – or worse still to which we are allocated by the merchants of diversity. Someone isn’t an individual – they are Afro-Caribbean, LGBT, over-50, working-class, disabled, Jewish – only given identity through the mediation of a group.

So “diversity” as we see it in practice is focused on there being diverse groups rather than diverse individuals. The reality of our thoughts, ideas, loves, prejudices, opinions and attitudes – real diversity – are as nothing beside the squeezing of everyone into a pre-determined set of boxes. As a general rule I don’t fill in ethnic monitoring forms – or, if forced, write “Other – human” – and I do not complete forms asking about my sexuality since that is absolutely none of their business.

As a liberal-minded sort, I find group diversity merely hides a deeper variety – the joy and pleasure of finding real human beings to engage with, enjoy the company of and have blazing rows with. Diversity groupthink blanks all this out by placing an artificial mediation of language, a marshalling of people into discrete blocs and the placing of barriers that would not otherwise have been there between different people.

For all the good intentions of some involved in “diversity” the reality is that it represents just another aspect of our corporate, controlling state. Another stick with which to beat – should the Government need to – the ordinary man or woman going about an ordinary life. Another way to slice and parse the people of our land – another “progressive” failure.

I am Simon Cooke. You may ask my age, my gender, my “ethnic group” (as if there were any such thing), my sexuality, my health status, my class, whether I’m employed, how much money I’ve got, my marital status, how many pets I have, whether I like cheese. And if you’re a mate, you’ll get an answer. If you’re the Government you won’t because it’s none of your bloody business.

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