Living the Same Time, But a Different Reality

We all live in the same time. Under the same sky, we watch the same sun rise and set, but that does not mean we live in the same reality.

For some, getting through the day is difficult, while others look at the world with ease. Even though we live in the same space and time, the world we see can be completely different. The same event may be just a passing moment for one person, but for another, it could be a life-shattering shock.

Could this difference be the root of social inequality?

Has past discrimination disappeared, or has it changed form and still remained? Have the discrimination and inequality our parents’ generation experienced become a thing of the past, or have they been repeated in a new way?

Some say that discrimination has decreased significantly, while others say they are still living within discrimination. Why do people look at the same reality and reach such different conclusions? Before discussing whether discrimination and inequality have truly disappeared, shouldn’t we first consider how we perceive and accept them?

People see the world based on their own experiences. Discrimination that one has not personally experienced is difficult to realize, and invisible inequality often feels as if it does not exist. Or, some may become more immersed in discussing inequality and discrimination that no one has actually experienced. That is why we raise our voices in different realities, sometimes failing to understand each other and drifting apart.

Then, what is true equality?

Is it about completely erasing past discrimination, or is it about finding a new balance that fits the changing times? Can discrimination and inequality be completely eliminated, or will they only change in form and continue to exist forever?

In the end, we live in the same time, but not in the same reality. Recognizing these differences, understanding each other’s experiences, and finding balance—perhaps this is the first step toward truly understanding discrimination and inequality.