Gallery of M&M
Quotes
“…Democracy therefore requires minority rights equally as it does majority rule. Indeed, as democracy is conceived today, the minority’s rights must be protected no matter how singular or alienated that minority is from the majority society; otherwise, the majority’s rights lose their meaning.”
ProjectMajority and Minority
The first impression of hearing the two words of majority and minority is „majority rule” and perhaps „minority rights” or someone may consider the determination of democracy.
Unfortunately, these words have been used in conflicts and in fights, which might make us emotional, but if we were willing to move away from its political and social meaning we would move to much more positive interpretation.
For individuals who are a member of the majority in any respect has a massive support from the mass to reach their personal objectives and also usually there are well known examples to follow up to manage their life i.e. he is a member of a safe and protective group where there is no conflicts at least in relation of the matter that forms them to majority. Actually, we should move towards to interpret the majority which help us to survive, to make decisions easily and in an acceptable way i.e. matching to the social expectations and norms. It is a very supportive environment that makes minimal the conflicts within the group of majority also providing easy to follow guidelines, helps us to generate a low stress, everyday life. Majority grants us a toolkit for the life, also an umbrella to deaden the effect of changes because everyone is “entitled” to wait for the decision of the majority how to handle external, unexpected impacts. We came far away from the meaning of the “majority rule” and have developed a much general meaning at the level of individuals, who are the members of the majority. In some case there is an invisible pressure of the majority for individuals, who are belonging to them because there are also expectations to be met.
Before starting the explanation of the minority (not only contrasting to the majority) let’s look at the picture:
Two girls are sitting on the ground of Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy. That’s fine. They are on their cell phones. There is nothing special. They are mailing, posting, seeing photos just have been taken... or whatsoever. They are doing what many of other people do. They belong to the majority of people using (or sometimes addictive to) their smart phones. They behave as usual and also as it expected in an ordinary way. They are comfortable with it, they enjoy it, they must do it, and they like to do it. Is it special, extraordinary? Actually it is not – at least in that circumstance.
Let’s turn to the minority and let’s see how we can move from its meaning of “minority right” that should be protected. First of all we should separate from the vision of “minority is overruled” or the majority should protect the right of the minority. The best way to imagine the minority in the sense I would like to reflect is to consider explores, scientists, artists and eccentrics. I don’t mean their group is small compare to the population but much more I focus on their attitude, braveness, and creativeness. Contrary to the majority it is not a supportive situation of course it is also not a restrictive one but it is rather a challenging, incentive, exciting environment. The members of the group of minority can be determined as revolutionist, rebel or warrior but actually in this aspect these people should fight against something that is usually represented by the majority. This way of thinking would turn back to the original explanation of minority who has rights and they should protect is or should find a way to be protected. I just would consider the challenging, creative, motivating attitude of the minority, where people are smartly brave enough to enjoy the opportunities without violating the interest of others (i.e. the majority). Just one more step forward and we reach the attitude of constructive challenge, the joy for extraordinary experience. The minority is not considered in this structure as an oppressed group but it is rather regarded as a group of people who are taking some risk for extra experience to make their life more joyful without disturbing others.
Look at the picture bellow!
That was a hot summer day in the city of Budapest where the public fountain is usually used for refreshing. However, the man sitting on the ground wanted a bit more. He sat down and showed to everybody that there is nothing special to enjoy slowly the cooling water with a slight encouraging for the people to join to him. I guess people who enter the fountain are belonging to the minority (also considering the fact that is a business area of the city) but it is not so special however a man, who attempts to involve others in a so simple and calm way, is really different from others. Of course he is not an rebel, a warrior and also he is not looking for challenging, but encouraging other to do some unusual is putting him to the minority.
The above two examples are only the beginning of my new project to present the Majority and Minority, which is not so clear as would be seen from the descriptions. We have several relations, attitudes, objectives and ways of thinking that means we are belonging to several groups which could be majority or minority. Actually it is does not matter because we need both kind of groups to complete our life. However if minority groups are dominating of majority ones in one’s life then he is focusing on challenges, looking for extraordinary and should be vigilant because there is less standard to follow up. Of course, in the life of several people they are belonging to majority-type of groups, which make their life comfortable and predictable. However, those natures of them, which are connecting them to a minority type of group, make their life colourful (and in some case it is called hobby).
MajoritySelfie
The crazy selfie mania invades all over the world. People enjoy taking photo but it is hard to understand why they do not ask someone to take a nice picture instead of selfies. Posing is funny…
MinorityNon-Selfie
Some people find the way to avoid selfie that is common in the majority. They still ask some help to take a photo of them. They can focus on posing and also have time to give advice: "Portrait instead of landscape".
