Ranking Humans  

It is very ironic when human dignity and merit are ranked. In fact, rankings in school thrust every student to compete with each other. Those whose score is below average feel inferior. Women are ranked to modify their quality of beauty.  

Ranking underestimates the students who have a low grade and think that they are stupid. I think Pele and Maradona were not top students, because they liked to play soccer better than studying. Is it not possible that school can be fun without causing any jealousy, shame and superiority?  

There is a story of Rumi about a scholar who was reading a book when he crossed the river with a boat. “Have you ever read Omar Khayam’s book?” asked the scholar to the boatman. “No, Sir, I cannot read or write. “Well, than you waste the time of your life, because you cannot enjoy the great pieces of Omar Khayam, Shakespeare or Goethe.” said the scholar.  

Soon the weather was getting cloudy and the wind blew very hard. “Can you swim,” asked the boatman. “No,” he said. Well, your knowledge, status and life are useless because there will be a storm.” The illiterate boatman was safe because he could swim.   What is left that is not ranked? Every one praises and respects those who are the smartest, the richest, the most popular, the most beautiful and any other topnotch achievements.  

The lower a person’s IQ is, the lower are his dignity and merit. Is it wrong if a person was not born with a high IQ, courage like a hero, beautiful face or a lot of money?  

Television once showed an art exhibition. The exhibition did not display the work of famous artists. But, it was the work of mentally-disabled people. I wonder which society still regards their dignity as human beings.   

The
Jakarta Post, from Media
Indonesia, February 9, 1993

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