{"id":274,"date":"2011-12-28T01:44:17","date_gmt":"2011-12-27T23:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/?p=274"},"modified":"2015-04-21T17:21:46","modified_gmt":"2015-04-21T15:21:46","slug":"we-are-the-10-percent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/we-are-the-10-percent\/","title":{"rendered":"We are the 10 percent"},"content":{"rendered":"

Democracy is a wonderful thing, but it’s not perfect. The majority can always intimidate<\/span>, discriminate against or simply ignore the minority.<\/p>\n

As Kermit the Frog used to sing, “It’s not easy being green.” It’s tough enough to be different, and even tougher if you’re not accepted for it.<\/p>\n

Small minorities with obvious<\/span> needs \u2014 the blind and hearing-impaired<\/span>, for example \u2014 do (rightly) get special consideration<\/span> in society. Other groups that comprise<\/span> 20 or 30 percent of the population have the necessary numbers to at least make themselves heard. But there’s a group in between \u2014 about 10 percent \u2014 that hardly anyone ever thinks about. They could use a little attention.<\/p>\n

So spare a thought for<\/span>…<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who are left-handed.<\/b> Cars, computer mice, our system of writing, and controls<\/span> on certain machines are mostly designed for the convenience<\/span> of the right-handed majority.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% of men who are color-blind.<\/b> (This genetic disorder<\/span> rarely affects women.) We assume everyone can see the colors we do, or read colored text on a colored background, but not everyone can.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who are night owls or who work night shifts<\/b>. They don’t do their vacuuming<\/span> at 1 a.m., so there’s no need to wake them up with garbage trucks<\/span> at the crack of dawn<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10%<\/b> (in America and central Europe) who are lactose-intolerant.<\/b> Try to identify any food that does not contain milk, cheese or cream, and you’ll see what they’re up against<\/span>. In prepared foods<\/span>, lactose is often added as a thickener or flavoring agent. Why?<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who are unintelligent.<\/b> If you have an IQ of 120 or above, you are in the top 10%. Congratulations. But you are balanced out by someone in the bottom 10%, who has an IQ of 80 or below \u2014 like Forrest Gump. Somebody needs to take care of that person.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who are short.<\/b> Let them in front of you so they can see what’s going on.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who are alcoholics.<\/b> Like the 10% who are problem gamblers<\/span> or problem spenders, these people need help. It would help to stop the bombardment with messages \u2014 through advertising and the behavior of the majority \u2014 that equate<\/span> drinking with popularity and spending money with success or recognition.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who are gay or lesbian<\/b>, and who simply want to be accepted.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who have been sexually abused<\/b>. They suffer in silence, having learned as children to hide any signs that something is wrong. They often spend decades in therapy, trying to develop a “normal” attitude to their bodies.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10%<\/b> (or many more in some cultures) who have had to live with domestic violence<\/b>.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who have a mental illness<\/b> (probably undiagnosed). Self-destructive behavior and immense costs to society \u2014 through crime, homelessness and drug use \u2014 may result if they don’t get help.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who have a physical handicap or a chronic physical ailment<\/b> \u2014 usually one that’s not visible<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The 10% who are lateral thinkers<\/b>. Some people are able to see patterns where others can’t. All too often<\/span>, society fails to appreciate<\/span> this.<\/p>\n

\u2022 In short, the 10% who are different through no choice of their own.<\/b><\/p>\n

I’ve known several people who fit into each of these categories, and maybe you’ve thought of some you’ve known as well. You’ll have seen that all the 10 percents I’ve mentioned here add up to more than 100 percent. Each of us is, in some way, different. We are all the 10 percent.<\/p>\n

That’s my thought for the New Year.<\/p>\n