It’s funny how nothing in the entire 40,000 km circumference of the world, cares about your social class or caste, religion or status, ethnicity, heredity, family background, and all other claptrap evidence of your mortal existence, except for our very own breed of humans whose opinions are as insignificant as their minuscule lifespan against the infinite expansion of this cosmos. The shadowed class of society should be given more attention.
I don’t understand why people antagonize totality? Politically, socially, economically, psychologically, in every aspect of life, everyone is trying to define, discriminate, divide.
I mean, it’s been 21 years of my life, and yet, this concept is not even halfway through my brain’s comprehension. I feel so dull-witted already.
Let’s talk about the division of society and its unfound relevance in the present era. Social Stratification is the division of a population into strata, one on the top of another, based on possession of certain characteristics, like inborn qualities, material possessions, and performances.
According to Melvin M. Tumin, social stratification refers to the “arrangement of any social group or society into a hierarchy of positions that are unequal with regard to power, property, social evaluation, and/or psychic gratification.
Social stratification is universal. To quote Sorokin, “Unstratified society, with a real equality of its members, is a myth which has never been realized in the history of mankind”.
Let us consider the types of Social Stratification:
Social stratification is based upon a variety of principles. Majorly, the following type of stratification is prevalent in India.
(i) Caste- It is a hereditary endogamous social group in which a person’s rank and its accompanying rights and obligations are ascribed on the basis of his birth into a particular group. For example-Brahmins, Kshyatryas, Vaishyas, and Shudra Caste.
(ii) Class-Stratification based on class is dominant in modern society. In this, a person’s position depends to a very great extent upon achievement and his ability to use to advantage the inborn characteristics and wealth that he may possess.
This is not the end, but in fact, you guessed it right, the very beginning. Differences are everywhere and that’s completely acceptable. But the idea of discrimination on the basis of these differences is what doesn’t make sense in a progressive world.
Social stratification causes social disparity and many problems as it is an unjust system with the monopoly of power and wealth in a particular group. It widens the gap between people in terms of money and a variety of other factors such as social status, education, health, and psychological well-being. The disparity is widely believed to be a source of social disorder. These are the roadblocks to the country’s and, more significantly, the individual’s advancement and development. Discrimination affects people’s opportunities, their well-being, and their sense of agency. Persistent exposure to discrimination can lead individuals to internalize the prejudice or stigma that is directed against them, manifesting in shame, low self-esteem, fear, and stress, as well as poor health.
I could write on human rights, on the pages of freedom prescribed to us by our dear constitution, or I could belittle the existing systems of divisions and equality. But I guess, we all have been brainwashed… I mean educated, already. Plus, that would be too mainstream for an amateur writer.
So, I’d like to try a different approach.
Have you heard of the word compassion? Only in preaching? Fair enough.
I’ll simplify it for you. It refers to the consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. It is again a question of why for a lot of people out there, and to be honest, there is no answer but for one, it feels good. There’s no rationality to it, and in all sincerity, no external gain. There is no reward, no motivation. It is merely a matter of our own existence.
Every religion, caste, class ceases in the face of humanity.
Too cliched?
Every religion, caste, class ceases in the face of death. This concept of categorization has held itself throughout history in the name of profession or wealth management and with time has transformed into exploitation. This system sustains our own ignorance and fears and is henceforth, a matter of immediate concern.
Everybody deserves to feel belonged in the world and feel at ease. It is heartbreaking that this is not the case. We are just mortals, trying to identify ourselves and make sense of all the chaos around us. And coincidentally, everyone is in the same game. Yet, we don’t question the unpleasant treatment, the unjust conduct towards a human being. Let us be a little more conscious and realize our responsibility towards others. Maybe a spark of compassion on our part will spread the fire to the extent of demolishing the shadows of discrimination. Just saying.
This was supposed to be an article on the upliftment of the shadowed classes of society. In cases, you couldn’t figure it out, sincerest apologies. I mean I could have written it better but for what? Suddenly the opinion of an amateur writer matters?
