Ethics and Non-Discrimination

In today's very troubled - not to say litigious - times, ethics, morality and copyright have never proved so important.

We live in a multicultural society - and indeed world - and with all the global markets and global environment, we have never been surrounded so many people of cultures and histories different to our own.

I think this is a wonderful thing, because it helps us to remember that we are the same - we are all people - but we are all different, we each have something different to offer to society, which makes us all unique and special and important.

After appearance, accents and dialects are the most obvious method of telling where someone is from, with all of the stereotypes and historical bias which goes with it.

If I haven't made it clear already, I don't like this idea.

• Racism?
  I think every person has something special that they - and they alone - can do. Colour, 'race', religion, homeland... none of these affect who a person is - they are who they are, and they are all special. Rather than decrying them for their colour, beliefs or place of origin, I think we should celebrate it.
• Sexism?
  I think everyone, male and female, has something to offer, and while it is a physical fact that women are physically different in make-up, there is no reason why a woman should not be considered an equal to a man. Some cultures still see women as second-class citizens, even property. While it is important to respect the traditions and beliefs of that culture, it is equally important to remember that a woman is equally capable as a man of almost anything. (The only differences between fitness of a body at extremes, maximum strength and speed for example - but these are physiological differences in make-up which evolution has brought, and cannot be overcome readily. I still think more women should be in IT - they would be at least as capable as men (if not more logically minded in many cases)
• Ageism?
  This works both ways: both older and younger segments of society get it 'in the neck' for one reason or another. Older people may not, it is true, be able to cope with stressful or overly physical jobs, but otherwise their life experiences make them more able to cope with new situations, even if adaptation is not always possibile. On the other hand, younger people are often decried as inexperienced, because of their age, but they are then not given the opportunity to learn. I think age is irrelevant in many cases, it will frequently not affect their ability to do a job.

So what am I getting at? I think I've made it clear that any kind of discrimination is wrong on at least one level or another - at least I believe it is. I also believe that some of the prejudice is due to a lack of communication and a lack of understanding on both sides, to understand what is actually there, once the prejudice has been stripped away and the person inside is properly revealed.

Some of the "voices" on the website may reflect social groups. This is not, please let me make it clear, to make them feel run-down, or intended to be derogatory toward them. It is meant as a gesture that even though I do not know their culture and their dialect as well as my own, I have gone some way to trying to understand it, and mimic it. It should not be taken as insulting - I would hope that it is taken as flattering, that rather than ignore or criticise, I am trying to promote and encourage this.

In a previous role in my company, I was on the phone to various people, all around the UK, which meant I encountered some of the regional dialects and accents even across the UK (which, it has to be said, is not a large island, but large enough). I encountered some really wonderful lilting accents which, far from wanting to discourage and belittle, I would love to encourage and promote, because they are wonderful, almost musical accents. I personally find the west Midlands (Birmingham), north-west England (Bolton, in Lancashire) and South Wales have the nicest accents, but that's just me.

The point of the exercise? Being aware of different accents and dialects. It is not wrong to notice them. It is not wrong to like them. It is wrong to discriminate based on an accident.

The upshot of this is that passages of English written in one style are often quite amusing in another style - we can enjoy the accent by making us laugh, thanking that the accent evolved. Forgive me if this sounds flowery but it is a complex subject to broach.

Also, by highlighting them in an amusing rather than offensive or judgemental way, we can be comfortable with them, which means those who are judgemental may begin to soften and become comfortable with them also. I have heard it said that bullies are those with their own inadequacies brought out into the open, by bringing out what they are not comfortable with should help everyone be comfortable and accepting of all the different accents.

Instead of judging things, why not cherish the diversity and variety?

I also appreciate that not all of the 'voices' provided by the site fall into the category of the above, not all of them will require this understand, because they are just word fun curios, but otherwise they are here to help us relish and enjoy the variety of life, not stifle and demean it.

Last updated: 10 September 2005. Please note that this is subject to amendment at any time, and that any new information will come into effect immediately - unless specifically stated elsewhere.