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Text File  |  1993-10-05  |  3KB  |  34 lines
  1. ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
  2. ║                            AGGREGATION                                  ║
  3. ║                         By:  Earl Dunovant                              ║
  4. ║               Black Issues Conf. Host (RimeRelayNet)                    ║
  5. ║                                                                         ║
  6. ║   A West Indian writer once said "Negroes do not understand the         ║
  7. ║   difference between group segregation and group aggregation.  And      ║
  8. ║   their leaders do not enlighten them, because they too do not          ║
  9. ║   choose to understand."  This is all too true.  Fortunately, I'm       ║
  10. ║   not a leader.  I have chosen to understandAnd I have chosen to        ║
  11. ║   explain the difference, and the difference that difference            ║
  12. ║   makes.                                                                ║
  13. ║                                                                         ║
  14. ║   Segregation and aggregation both refer to a gathering together of     ║
  15. ║   things according to some shared characteristic.  Both imply           ║
  16. ║   considering that group as a single entity.  But just as all other     ║
  17. ║   things can be constructive or destructive, so can this viewing        ║
  18. ║   groups of people collectively.  Aggregation is the positive side      ║
  19. ║   of this collective viewing, while segregation is the negative         ║
  20. ║   side.                                                                 ║
  21. ║                                                                         ║
  22. ║   What makes segregation negative is that it's something that's         ║
  23. ║   done *to* you, whereas aggregation is something that is done *by*     ║
  24. ║   you.  Segregation is imposed on you, aggregation is chosen by         ║
  25. ║   you.  When you aggregate, you draw together with people.When you      ║
  26. ║   segregate, you push people aside.                                     ║
  27. ║                                                                         ║
  28. ║   Aggregation and segregation *are* similar.  They can be looked at     ║
  29. ║   as the same thing when you're not personally involved.  Their         ║
  30. ║   effects can seem the same if you're not involved, too.  There is      ║
  31. ║   a difference though, and we Blacks must keep that difference in       ║
  32. ║   mind in our collective efforts.                                       ║
  33. ╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
  34.