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The Challenge of Equity: Balancing Fairness, Effort, and Shared Responsibility
On equity vs. merit: Finding parity between individual ingenuity and social responsibility.
Last week, I shared a pull-quote on Facebook from my previous article (The Paradox of Labels: Do Identity Categories Unite or Divide?) that garnered insightful commentary. Here’s the quote:
Parity is a balancing act. Human rights and equity are like a teeter-totter that rocks up and down, dependent upon the weight of each person playing on opposite sides. It is the willingness of each side to joyfully and respectfully seek balance, knowing full well that at any moment, balance is ephemeral.
The way forward is not a simplistic notion of equality; that’s an illusion. The only viable path is the realization that equity — not equality — is the only constant. But equity isn’t automatic; it must be consciously cultivated and deliberately maintained.
In response, one commenter agreed in principle but raised concerns about equity’s practical challenges, i.e., the redistribution of resources. They questioned whether equity inherently requires taking from one group to give to another, and whether that approach fairly accounts for individual effort and risk-taking.
