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Abraham Tagvoryan
ENGL 113B
Professor Lawson
24 April 2016
Diversity
The very core of diversity rests on the concept of differences coming together as
one to form a uniquely cohesive reality that is more than just the sum of these diverse
parts. Ideally, this would occur without a hitch; yet, when different peoples, ideas,
thoughts, beliefs, religions, traditions, and other similar cultural factors are brought
together, an undeniable reality occurs in which some of these become the majority, some
the minority, and some disappear entirely through assimilation. The very last of these
three aforementioned realities is the closest life can get to a life of sameness, a life that is
monotonous, boring, predictable, and, for lack of a better description, a life that is
lifeless. As such, it is diversity with its uniquely different factors that brings life to an
otherwise vanilla existence. As a result of diversity, arguments may arise, but so too will
compromise; wars may occur, but peace will follow soon after. In other words, there is no
such thing as a utopian society where everything is the same and nothing will ever go
wrong. Humanity does not function this way and the only way it ever will is if the very
humanity in being human is sucked out and somehow erased. In The Giver, this is the sort
of society that has taken hold of the world: a limited, restricted, monitored, lifeless reality
that prides itself on the concept of community, but that really functions as a dystopian
prison. Although sameness within a community will undoubtedly allow for better
cohesion amongst community members and better control at large by the government, it
cannot compare to living a life of diversity in which individuality and differences are
praised, giving communities and countries alike the opportunity to nurture environments
of inclusivity, understanding and peace amongst its diverse members.

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As perhaps the quintessential dystopian novel and film in which the concept of
sameness is perfectly demonstrated, The Giver provides readers and viewers a glimpse
into a possible future reality in which members of society are not only expected to but are
also legally bound to think, act, dress, eat, and live life in the exact same way as one
another. Anybody who does not do so, which would be nearly impossible as the daily
morning injections guarantee they will, would be considered a danger to society. In the
novel, an example of this is seen when Lily compares a group of visitors to animals,
simply because they didnt obey the rules at all. Even though Lily did not exactly know
what the meaning of the word animals meant in this context, she had heard the word
being used many times to describe someone uneducated or clumsy, someone who didnt
fit in allowing her to make that connection (Lowry). As such, since the visitors were
unaware of the rules of the society of sameness that Lily lived in, she considered them to
be savages, when all they were actually doing was exerting their own individuality a
concept that is lost on Lily since she was not born or bred into a community that
promoted this in any way. In other words, as Lauren Rohan of the State University of
New York states in her article entitled Complacency and Conformity: How the
Elimination of Individual Choice Creates Perfect Dystopian Societies, Lily has grown
up in a society that is a peaceful and conflict free one but [that] lacks individual thought
and freedom of choice, making anyone who does act outside of the realm of expectation
an uncivilized outsider (Rohan).
As previously, yet briefly, stated, the logic behind a community of sameness is
easily understood, yet there is no real and acceptable way to promote or enforce this
within any real community because no execution of this concept will provide individuals
with the opportunity to be their unique selves in any way, shape, or form. Stripping

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people of their individuality, and subsequently their humanity, is no basis to form a
community with. In fact, it has been proven that diverse societies bring more to the
proverbial table and foster living conditions that are more favored and favorable. In his
article entitled Diversity, Social Interaction, and Solidarity, Prof. Dr. Steven Vertovec
of the Max Planck Institute states, studies have shown that regional economic
dynamics are improved by population heterogeneity and a climate of tolerance. Here,
diversity is linked with creativity, openness and vitality; multicultural towns act as both
magnets for the cultural and economic elite, and breeding grounds for new ideas
(Vertovec). In other words, communities and countries that promote diversity see an
increase in the number of people who want to reside and experience their lives there,
further advancing the society socially and economically. If, like The Giver indirectly
claims, societies that promote sameness function on a higher level than societies that are
diverse, why does Vertovecs research say otherwise? In actuality, all sameness does is
restrict people from wanting to think outside of the box, forcing them to comply with
what their society has put forth as the right way to be. All this does is force individuals to
fit into a certain reality that, frankly, is likely against their natures. If this is the case, it is
only a matter of time until said society rebels, as has been the case time and time again
throughout history, with dictatorial regimes that have essentially pushed their people into
living lives of sameness, devoid of personal choices and freedoms of any kind.
Conformity comes in many forms. The one that relates most to the lives people
lead in The Giver is the type of conformity known as compliance. According to Saul
McLeod of Simply Psychology, compliance can be defined as conforming to the
majority (publicly), in spite of not really agreeing with them (privately) (McLeod). Such
is the case with Jonas in the novel. Allowing his inquisitive nature to take hold of his

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thoughts and actions, Jonas broke free of the psychological and physiological chains that
kept him a societal sheep, only to learn and realize truths that were deliberately hidden
from him. Was it better for him to learn these truths and, as a result, fight against
conformity and sameness? Though his government may think so, having his eyes and
reality opened in the way that it was allowed Jonas to actually be born and live how
human life was meant to be lived. Yes, his actions brought about conflict, but that conflict
was only with those who wanted to restrict him from ever being awakened to the actual
reality of life. The knowledge he gained prevented him from ever being a part of the herd
again, instead fighting to bring down the very regime that promoted this reality of
sameness in the first place.
One cannot argue that sameness will prevent argument, debate, and conflict. One
also cannot argue that sameness will lead to a life that is not worth living. Knowing this,
no amount of peace is worth a life of nothingness. As such, diversity and individuality
should be promoted and praised in order to allow humans to reach their full potentials in
more ways than one. Only then will humans know exactly what it means to live, by
creating environments and communities that welcome uniqueness with open arms and are
ready to accept the very differences that make each and every person unique. Sameness if
safe and being safe has never allowed anyone to take the risks that end up paying off and
allowing them to advance in life. In the end, it is not about control; instead, it is about
conviction, as displayed in the novel by Jonas.

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Annotated Bibliography
McLeod, Saul. "What Is Conformity?" Simply Psychology. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.simplypsychology.org/conformity.html>.
This psychological article defines what conformity is and why most
people within society take part in it, fully analyzing the most relevant and
relatable reasons of societal conformity. I found this article by searching
conformity in Google Scholar and after looking through many different sites on
the same subject. I deemed this source appropriate because it present clear and
correct information regarding the subject in a way that was easy to understand.
This article will add to my knowledge base on the concept of sameness and how
societies are generally affected by such dystopian realities and concepts.
Rohan, Lauren L. Complacency and Conformity: How the Elimination of Individual
Choice Creates Perfect Dystopian Societies. The College at Brockport: State
University of New York (2012): 1-78, Web.
<http://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1093&context=eng_theses>
This comprehensive article discusses how young adult contemporary
literature has tended to focus on the concept of dystopian societies in which
sameness and conformity have become recurring and relevant themes. I found this
article through Google Scholar in searching the idea of societal conformity and

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how it is thought to be relevant in future societies. After reading the source and
realizing that a number of dystopian novels were mentioned and brought up as
examples, include The Giver, I deemed it an appropriate source. This article will
provide me with the background information necessary in thoroughly
understanding the idea of dystopian societies and why sameness occurs, providing
insight on why most future societies are presented in this way within modern-day
texts and media.
Vertovec, Steven, Ph.D. "Diversity, Social Interaction and Solidarity." Max-PlanckGesellschaft. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
This article investigates the impact of diversity on social interactions and selected
attitudes. I found this article by using Google Scholar in search of the concept of societal
and social diversity and though it took a while to locate, it has been extremely helpful.
After reading the source, I realized that some of the issues discussed are not only recent,
but also relevant in more ways than one, adding to the overall understanding on diversity
in start contrast to the concept of sameness. This article will increase my knowledge on
societal diversity, why it is important, and how it goes directly against sameness.