Impartiality is often seen as a virtue that promotes fairness and justice. It is commonly associated with objectivity and neutrality, where one tries to judge people or situations without favoritism or bias.
This concept can also be morally dangerous because it fails to recognize the complexities of human behavior and social dynamics. When impartiality becomes a dominant principle, it can lead to injustices and oppression being perpetuated unchallenged. This essay will explore how impartiality can become morally dangerous when it allows for injustice to persist.
One way in which impartiality can be morally dangerous is through its failure to acknowledge historical context. In many cases, past events have shaped current power structures and social norms.
Slavery was a common practice throughout much of world history until it was abolished in the 19th century. While some countries such as Britain outlawed the practice before others, they did not do so until later. This means that there were still slave owners who benefited from this system even after it became illegal. Similarly, colonialism has had a long-lasting impact on the global power dynamic between nations. Even though colonization may now be viewed negatively, many countries are still profiting from their former colonies through economic exploitation. Therefore, if we view things impartially, we would see no difference between these practices, but they clearly had different moral implications at different points in time.
Another way impartiality can be morally dangerous is by failing to account for privilege. Privilege refers to an advantage someone has over another due to their background or identity.
White people in America enjoy privileges over Black people that stem from centuries of racist policies and practices. These advantages include better access to education, healthcare, housing, and employment opportunities. If we approach situations without acknowledging privilege, then those with more resources and power will always come out ahead. This means that impartiality often protects the status quo rather than promoting justice.
A third way impartiality can become morally dangerous is when it fails to recognize intersectionality. Intersectionality is a term coined by Kimberle Crenshaw that describes how different identities can intersect and overlap in complex ways.
A woman who is also Black and LGBTQ+ faces discrimination based on her race, gender, and sexual orientation. If we only look at each of these categories separately, we risk missing the unique challenges she faces as a result of being all three.
If we ignore these intersections, we cannot effectively address systemic problems like police brutality or workplace inequality. Instead, we need to understand how multiple forms of oppression interact with one another to create barriers to equality.
Impartiality can become morally dangerous because it fails to acknowledge historical context, privilege, and intersectionality. By ignoring these factors, it allows injustice to persist unchallenged. Therefore, we must move beyond impartiality towards a more nuanced understanding of human behavior and social dynamics if we want to promote genuine fairness and justice. Only by recognizing the complexity of our world can we hope to overcome its inequalities and build a more just society for everyone.
How does impartiality become morally dangerous when it allows injustice to persist?
One can say that the lack of moral courage or sense of responsibility often leads individuals to ignore unjust situations they are witnessing. The result is that injustice persists because people with enough power refuse to take action. Imagine you see someone stealing from their coworkers at work, but do not report them out of fear of being seen as rude or disloyal. In this case, you have chosen to be indifferent to an unfair situation.