Equal Rights
Race, Gender and Equality Singer argues that compensation and the opportunity to get jobs that pay more should be based on need more than on ability because the ability to accomplish more demanding tasks is more often due to genetic inheritance and less to do with overcoming the challenges facing the disadvantaged who do not have exposure or access to the same resources such as books, quiet studying quarters and overall less chaos within the family. He contends that the environment that disadvantaged people have to overcome should be a considerable factor in an effort to bring them to the same starting point as a more privileged individual who faced far fewer obstacles instead were facilitated by encouraging parents who made education a higher priority. He finally suggests that it may be trying to reward effort as long as it correlates to working at the highest end of their abilities regardless of what their abilities may be (Page 37). He contends this approach would eliminate the biological differences between races or genders and level the field. The argument is equivalent to getting an ‘A’ for effort and not so much for being rewarded for ability if it is inherited. The challenge I would argue is to how to best foster an equal playing field without setting people up for failure if they are not able to meet the standards of success as determined by the education institution or corporation. I would argue it is best to guide individuals into paths that lead to their own success based on where they have passion instead of a job or career that could further impede their self-esteem and gratification from achievement. We have to provide affirmative action for the disadvantaged but it must be in conjunction with development and training that is made available to everyone so they feel equal because they have achieved their goal as much as someone who was admitted or hired without being disadvantaged. Admittedly we have many years to recompense for the