Equal Opportunity
"Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities."
The U.S. department of labor's definition of social justice is a staunch reminder that Social Justice means an equal opportunity NOT an equal result. You will not necessarily share the same success as others because not only do we have the freedom to succeed but the freedom to fail. Thankfully there is a second part, "Social workers aim to open the doors of access and opportunity for everyone, particularly those in greatest need", which is designed to make sure a basic level of human existence is maintained.
Architects, designers, planners, citizens, etc. have long sought to produce an equal result. A space which all have the opportunity to enjoy AND that is enjoyable to all people despite diverse views and backgrounds. In a lot of ways this is an ambitious goal even for ambitious people, with often spaces falling to disrepair, crime, or just flat out non acceptance. Yet this does not deter us. Perhaps it is because as architects we recognize not just the basic human need. Sure we can survive with 4 walls, roof, and a door, but what if we want to actually live. As tenacious persons seeking to create space, we want to create social life, not social survival. Equal opportunity can lead to equal results, but ironically this idea challenges the idea of freedom to succeed or fail. As we continue set the bar higher through design, I find it ironic that many of us would agree that everyone should be able to enjoy the spaces we create, but that makes us a sort of quasi-socialist design union.
In many ways that is what defines the role of the architect for me, being above societal minimums, and working towards setting the bar higher through design. Spatial Justice it seems will always be in conflict with social justice as long as social justice adheres to minimums.
The U.S. department of labor's definition of social justice is a staunch reminder that Social Justice means an equal opportunity NOT an equal result. You will not necessarily share the same success as others because not only do we have the freedom to succeed but the freedom to fail. Thankfully there is a second part, "Social workers aim to open the doors of access and opportunity for everyone, particularly those in greatest need", which is designed to make sure a basic level of human existence is maintained.
Architects, designers, planners, citizens, etc. have long sought to produce an equal result. A space which all have the opportunity to enjoy AND that is enjoyable to all people despite diverse views and backgrounds. In a lot of ways this is an ambitious goal even for ambitious people, with often spaces falling to disrepair, crime, or just flat out non acceptance. Yet this does not deter us. Perhaps it is because as architects we recognize not just the basic human need. Sure we can survive with 4 walls, roof, and a door, but what if we want to actually live. As tenacious persons seeking to create space, we want to create social life, not social survival. Equal opportunity can lead to equal results, but ironically this idea challenges the idea of freedom to succeed or fail. As we continue set the bar higher through design, I find it ironic that many of us would agree that everyone should be able to enjoy the spaces we create, but that makes us a sort of quasi-socialist design union.
Which is more Just?
In many ways that is what defines the role of the architect for me, being above societal minimums, and working towards setting the bar higher through design. Spatial Justice it seems will always be in conflict with social justice as long as social justice adheres to minimums.
Comments
Post a Comment