Discrimination Quote by Jared Diamond
““Above all, it seems to me wrongheaded and dangerous to invoke historical assumptions about environmental practices of native peoples in order to justify treating them fairly. ... By invoking this assumption [i.e., that they were/are better environmental stewards than other peoples or parts of contemporary society] to justify fair treatment of native peoples, we imply that it would be OK to mistreat them if that assumption could be refuted. In fact, the case against mistreating them isn't based on any historical assumption about their environmental practices: it's based on a moral principle, namely, that it is morally wrong for one people to dispossess, subjugate or exterminate another people.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture on Indigenous Rights, 2015
The quote argues that fairness toward native peoples should rest on universal moral principles, not on possibly inaccurate claims about their environmental stewardship.
In simple terms: Fairness must be based on moral rights, not on environmental assumptions.
Key Takeaway
Treat all peoples justly regardless of historical environmental claims.
Themes
ethics
indigenous rights
environmental justice
fairness
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
ethical
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- education curricula
- activism
- legal frameworks
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
colonial critique
human rights
Questions to Reflect On
- What moral principles should guide treatment of all peoples?
- How can we avoid using environmental arguments to justify fairness?
A Different Perspective
Relying on environmental stereotypes can be misleading and may justify mistreatment if disproven.
![“[The idea] of an environmental ethic runs contrary to our cultural tradition.” quote by John Livingston. from "One Cosmic Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c1b/john-livingston-from-one-cosmi_philosophy_the-idea-of-an-environmental-ethic-runs_1583949.jpg)
