Just what is social justice? It’s a term constantly thrown around yet what does it really mean? Today, we take a closer look at what social justice is and its effects in our society.
What is social justice?
By definition, it should be the fair and equal distribution of resources and opportunities. There should be no category of people that should have any leverage over the other. In the early eras of social awareness, the term social justice was directed toward those in dire poverty. The emphasis was placed on the need for the equal distribution of resources.
In other words, everything is equal. This, however, is hardly what our society at large gets to experience. This fact is particularly true today.
Who should be responsible for social justice?
The common belief was that it was only the government that should keep a watchful eye on social injustices. However, what is to occur when it is the government itself that doles out injustices?
In a nutshell: everyone. When people turn a blind eye to the wrongdoings done to others, they are complicit in allowing the injustice to continue. This is why the terms like ‘woke’ are constantly being used in social media today. The younger generations are realizing that they need to fight in order to still have a world to live in. They understand that what’s happening lately is not okay.
What social justice issues persist today?
To be honest, there are so many issues that are occurring all at the same time. The ones that are at the cusp of heated discussion would be the Charlottesville White Nationalist Rally. It could be said that the clash that occurred there was the result of rabid social justice standpoints from both sides.
Both sides equally believed that they had something to legitimately fight for. Where do we draw the line? While social responsibility is a lovely theory, the actions undertaken by a person or a group should benefit the whole of society and not just the sect they belong to.
What we have now are people who ride the idea of social justice without really understanding or putting into effect what it actually means.
What can one person do?
One person, with the right words and the right crowd, can change the world. We’ve seen it happen. This is why it is extremely crucial for individuals to educate themselves and develop critical thinking. We need to sift out what are actual issues from what is simply noise. We also need to come together to peacefully attain a solution that’s beneficial to all parties involved.
Most people confuse the idea of satisfaction versus justice. Instead of having those who are only after personal satisfaction, justice is an idea that must be upheld in its truest sense. We all need to stop shouting at each other and really listen.
In the same vein, we need to constantly reevaluate the methods in which social justice is fought. We all have to live here.
