Unity over Diversity: Solution to Diversity

Diversity is something Indonesian, and global population proud of. Diversity is the condition of having or being composed of different elements. Our independence and existence are established on it. Many great and astonishing things came from it also some poor things happened because of it. Unity in Diversity is a motto of our country which shows how proud we are with our diversity. Yet, from diversity came problem, problem of disunity.

Yes, diversity is not a wrong thing. But we shouldn't overrate it and be overly optimistic. Diversity has its greatness also its downsides. Diversity, in the history of great civilizations, often resulted in failure. It's not a kind of pessimistic thoughts, but it's a more pragmatic and realistic mindset. Let’s take a look in some civilizations like USSR and its predecessor, Austria-Hungary, Yugoslavia, and other great nations with diverse demographic. USSR resulted in a break up which one of its factors are diversity. They have numerous of religion, culture, and race, adds up with the application of communism. Austria-Hungary and Yugoslavia resulted in theirs collapse because of inequality between demographics. But nonetheless, diversity has its upside. United States is an example of it. United States which considered as the freest, the most democratic and greatest country is a diverse country, and has its persistence as a benefit of its diversity.

In Indonesia, there are problems with diversity, problems of religion or cultural disunity. These problems can only be solved by eliminating the concept of diversity. By this it doesn't mean that we should create a condition where there is only one religion and race, but the philosophy of diversity. Every nation is diverse in nature, either in culture, race, religion or anything. A thing we need to really put on our mindset is that there's a huge world outside there. A brave new world filled with diversity. An expanding universe full with diversity. There’s roughly 2 million of animals and plants species currently existing combined which have another diversity of genetics and varieties inside every single of species. There are 7 classes of stars based on temperature, and every class have 10 sub-division. And 8 classes of stars based on mass and size, and every single star, they have unique number of orbiting planets which each planet have unique types and different variables number of moons. Which every planet has its own unique environment, materials, or even maybe, living species. We can see how diverse our earth and universe are. Diversity is not something extraordinary, something unique, it's something we all have in common. Which makes us less diverse.

Diversity is a state where there's many variations and difference. Diversity came from the idea of difference, the idea of we are not one. Being diverse and unite in the same time seems impossible or at least difficult. We can unite only if, we put down our “diversity”, our difference. We need to have this belief, that I is not different from you, because I and you makes us. As said in the Youth Pledge or Sumpah Pemuda. We the sons and daughters of Indonesia, acknowledge one motherland, Indonesia. We the sons and daughters of Indonesia, acknowledge one nation, the nation of Indonesia. We the sons and daughters of Indonesia, respect the language of unity, Indonesian. We are diverse no more, we are united. Diversity surely has its role in Indonesia. Makings of great inventions, leaders, men, it had its credit. But there is a problem about diversity, which is separation. The crisis and the problems of diversity’s caused by diversion. By acknowledging our diversity, we separate ourselves. By having the belief that we are different in race and culture, we separate “me” and “you” in “us”. With the appropriation of separation, we have problems. With fellow Indonesian seeing the inside of themselves differently, we fight because of the difference.

For example, there are some issues regarding diversity, one about religion. It's a clarity, that religion or belief towards God, is regarding personal relationship with God. There should not be interference from the state, other members of society, or politics. One should not determine or force someone to a belief or a religion. Some says it's inequality. Inequality can be erased if we are one, on what base there's inequality if we are united? On nothing, if we have a one, we cannot have any natural number, distributed to the one and get a fraction, it's math. Pancasila, what does it says? One, a divinity that is an ultimate unity. Two, a just and civilized humanity. Three, The national unity of Indonesia. Four, democracy predicated on the inherent wisdom of unanimity arising from deliberation among popular representatives. Five, social justice for all Indonesian people. There's no diversity said there, all it's say, we are one, just, and civilized, wise and deliberate. It's the matter of perspective, how you see the difference. As a normal and common thing all of object in the universe have or a very distinct thing. It's a philosophical problem, diversity. Are we absolutely one, or distinctly diverse? No. We are one and diverse, but diversity is not a special thing, being diverse and one is not a special thing either. Two particles can be separated, one on one side of the universe and the other is on the opposite side of the universe, which is physically separated, once you know the state of one particle the state of other state is determined to be the same although they're separated, they are what called quantum particles. Diversity, and unity in a diversity proven a common thing, we shouldn't make it special.

So we are one, “me” and “you”, no matter our religion, race, culture, or political preference. Etymologically, there's the evidence of unity on a different and separate state. We are Homo sapiens. Homo originated from Greek, which means same. Nothing can separate us, we are united, united in unity. By this, diversity related problems will be reduced or eliminated fully, since we regard ourselves as citizens of Indonesia as one.