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Abraham Tagvoryan
ENGL 113B
Professor Lawson
9 May 2016
Diversity
The very core of diversity rests on the concept of differences coming together as
one to form a uniquely cohesive reality that is more than just the sum of these diverse
parts. Ideally, this would occur without a hitch. When different peoples, ideas, thoughts,
beliefs, religions, traditions, and other similar cultural factors are brought together, an
undeniable reality occurs in which some of these become the majority, minority, and
some disappear entirely through assimilation. The very last of these three aforementioned
realities is the closest life can get to a life of sameness, a life that is monotonous, boring,
predictable, and, for lack of a better description, a life that is lifeless. As such, it is
diversity with its uniquely different factors that brings life to an otherwise vanilla
existence. As a result of diversity, arguments may arise, but so too will compromise; wars
may occur, but peace will follow soon after. In other words, there is no such thing as a
utopian society where everything is the same and nothing will ever go wrong. Humanity
does not function this way and the only way it ever will is if the very humanity in being
human is sucked out and somehow erased. In The Giver, this is the sort of society that has
taken hold of the world: a limited, restricted, monitored, lifeless reality that prides itself
on the concept of community, but that really functions as a dystopian prison. Although
sameness within a community will undoubtedly allow for better cohesion amongst
community members and better control at large by the government, it cannot compare to
living a life of diversity in which individuality and differences are praised, giving
communities and countries alike the opportunity to nurture environments of inclusivity,
understanding and peace amongst its diverse members.

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As perhaps the quintessential dystopian novel and film in which the concept of
sameness is perfectly demonstrated, The Giver provides readers and viewers a glimpse
into a possible future reality in which members of society are not only expected to but are
also legally bound to think, act, dress, eat, and live life in the exact same way as one
another. Anybody who does not do so, which would be nearly impossible as the daily
morning injections guarantee they will, would be considered a danger to society. In the
novel, an example of this is seen when Lily compares a group of visitors to animals,
simply because they didnt obey the rules at all. Even though Lily did not exactly know
what the meaning of the word animals meant in this context, she had heard the word
being used many times to describe someone uneducated or clumsy, someone who didnt
fit in allowing her to make that connection (Lowry). As such, since the visitors were
unaware of the rules of the society of sameness that Lily lived in, she considered them to
be savages, when all they were actually doing was exerting their own individuality a
concept that is lost on Lily since she was not born or bred into a community that
promoted this in any way. In other words, as Lauren Rohan of the State University of
New York states in her article entitled Complacency and Conformity: How the
Elimination of Individual Choice Creates Perfect Dystopian Societies, Lily has grown
up in a society that is a peaceful and conflict free one but [that] lacks individual thought
and freedom of choice, making anyone who does act outside of the realm of expectation
an uncivilized outsider (Rohan).
As previously, stated, the logic behind a community of sameness is easily
understood, yet there is no real and acceptable way to promote or enforce this within any
real community because no execution of this concept will provide individuals with the
opportunity to be their unique selves in any way, shape, or form. Stripping people of their

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individuality, and subsequently their humanity, is no basis to form a community with. In
fact, it has been proven that diverse societies bring more to the proverbial table and foster
living conditions that are more favored and favorable. In his article entitled Diversity,
Social Interaction, and Solidarity, Prof. Dr. Steven Vertovec of the Max Planck Institute
states, studies have shown that regional economic dynamics are improved by
population heterogeneity and a climate of tolerance. Here, diversity is linked with
creativity, openness and vitality; multicultural towns act as both magnets for the cultural
and economic elite, and breeding grounds for new ideas (Vertovec). In other words,
communities and countries that promote diversity see an increase in the number of people
who want to reside and experience their lives there. Also, they further advancing the
society socially and economically. If, like The Giver indirectly claims, societies that
promote sameness function on a higher level than societies that are diverse, why does
Vertovecs research say otherwise? In actuality, all sameness does is restrict people from
wanting to think outside of the box, forcing them to comply with what their society has
put forth as the right way to be. All this does is force individuals to fit into a certain
reality that, frankly, is likely against their natures. If this is the case, it is only a matter of
time until said society rebels, as has been the case time and time again throughout history,
with dictatorial regimes that have essentially pushed their people into living lives of
sameness, devoid of personal choices and freedoms of any kind.
Conformity comes in many forms. The one that relates most to the lives people
lead in The Giver is the type of conformity known as compliance. According to Saul
McLeod of Simply Psychology, compliance can be defined as conforming to the
majority (publicly), in spite of not really agreeing with them (privately) (McLeod). Such
is the case with Jonas in the novel, allowing his inquisitive nature to take hold of his

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thoughts and actions, Jonas broke free of the psychological and physiological chains that
kept him a societal sheep, only to learn and realize truths that were deliberately hidden
from him. Was it better for him to learn these truths and, as a result, fight against
conformity and sameness? Though his government may think so, having his eyes and
reality opened in the way that it was allowed Jonas to actually be born and live how
human life was meant to be lived. Yes, his actions brought about conflict, but that conflict
was only with those who wanted to restrict him from ever being awakened to the actual
reality of life. The knowledge he gained prevented him from ever being a part of the herd
again, instead fighting to bring down the very regime that promoted this reality of
sameness in the first place.
One cannot argue that sameness will prevent argument, debate, and conflict. One
also cannot argue that sameness will lead to a life that is not worth living. Knowing this,
no amount of peace is worth a life of nothingness. As such, diversity and individuality
should be promoted and praised in order to allow humans to reach their full potentials in
more ways than one. Only then will humans know exactly what it means to live, by
creating environments and communities that welcome uniqueness with open arms and are
ready to accept the very differences that make each and every person unique. Sameness if
safe and being safe has never allowed anyone to take the risks that end up paying off and
allowing them to advance in life. In the end, it is not about control; instead, it is about
conviction, as displayed in the novel by Jonas.
Word Count: 1280

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