Curious about Diversity: How Much Do You Experience in Your Life, Work, and Community?

Definition of Diversity: A state of difference; dissimilitude; unlikeness. Multiplicity of difference; multiformity; variety. Variegation.

“Society is unity in diversity.” - George H. Mead, American philosopher

“The diversity of the phenomena of nature is so great, and the treasures hidden in the heavens so rich, precisely in order that the human mind shall never be lacking in fresh nourishment.” - Johannes Kepler, German scientist

I chose “diversity” for this week’s issue because being a member of the Glazer-Kennedy Marketing group, I am thrilled with their marketing principle, “Diversity Leads to Stability.” Bill Glazer writes that this “means that you want as many different things in place to market and grow your business as possible, instead of one or two which leaves you very vulnerable to specific types of media used, and to your competition copying what you do.”

Also, having many different careers – and different streams of income – as part of my “Portfolio Career,” gives me the diversity and stability that I thrive on. I love the variety and diversity of careers. I can have one career that is lucrative and another that isn't, so I don't have to worry about income.

Of course, when we think of diversity – and many of the quotations reflect this – we think of race and cultural differences. I chose quotations that reflect this along with other approaches.

Let’s get started:

• “We need to reach that happy stage of our development when differences and diversity are not seen as sources of division and distrust, but of strength and inspiration.” - Josefa Iloilo, Fijian statesman
• “We are the only country in the world that has taken people from so many different backgrounds, which is a great achievement by itself, but an even greater achievement is that we have turned all of that variety and diversity into unity.” - Lamar Alexander, American politician
• “I love the diversity of America. I love the plain, normal sense of humor Americans have. It is not wicked, like in some countries. And I also love how new America is.” - Antonio Banderas, Spanish actor
• “My father was the son of immigrants, and he grew up bilingual, but English is what my father taught me and what he spoke to me. America's strength is not our diversity; it is our ability to unite around common principles even when we come from different backgrounds.” – Ernest Istook, American politician
• “Nonetheless, I sense that it will be the task of the future to somehow synthesize the sheer diversity of our present resources into a more organic and well-ordered procedure.” – George Crumb, American composer
• “One day I undertook a tour through the country, and the diversity and beauties of nature I met with in this charming season, expelled every gloomy and vexatious thought.” - Daniel Boone, American explorer
• “Our cultural diversity has most certainly shaped our national character.” - Julie Bishop, Australian politician
• “The Internet offers authors and their readers a new diversity of opportunities and freedom.” - Frederick Forsyth, British author

And some more. I love how much these quotations make me think and see the world in a different way:

• “It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” - Maya Angelou, American poet
• “When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.” - John F. Kennedy, American President
• “All my life I've been looking for diversity.” - Max von Sydow, Swedish actor
• “Among those who are satisfactory in this respect it is desirable to have represented as great a diversity of intellectual tradition, social milieu and personal character as possible.” – Talcott Parsons, American sociologist
• “Bring diversity back to agriculture. That's what made it work in the first place.” –
  David R. Brower, American environmentalist
• “Common sense tells us that this explosion of media sources should eliminate any concern over a lack of diversity of views in the marketplace and competition.” - Fred Upton, American politician
• “Diversity in the world is a basic characteristic of human society, and also the key condition for a lively and dynamic world as we see today.” - Jinato Hu, Chinese leader
• “Diversity on the bench is critical. As practitioners, you need judges who 'get it!' We need judges who understand what discrimination feels like. We need judges who understand what inequality feels like. We need judges who understand the subtleties of unfair treatment and who are willing to call it out when they see it!” - Debbie Wasserman Schultz, American politician

What do you think? How do you feel about and define diversity? I would love to hear from you.