---
title: "Celebrate Commonality, Understand Diversity"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/aa5b80dc-db30-4b9e-b99e-c99c168da653
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/celebrate-commonality-understand-diversity-4822
category: "General"
published: 1969-12-31T23:18:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T04:16:32.876Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/cce2582ba83511a91ab6afd3ed8fe2168509160602154532.jpeg
---

# Celebrate Commonality, Understand Diversity

**TL;DR:** An article discusses the importance of focusing on commonalities rather than differences in today's world. The author suggests that celebrating commonality and understanding diversity can lead to more productivity and unity in both life and business.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 1969-12-31. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/celebrate-commonality-understand-diversity-4822).*

## Story

Whether it’s sex, religion, culture, race, political persuasion or how much money we have, in today’s world it seems like we’re all being labeled by our differences. The problem with this is when we focus on our differences instead of what we have in common, we tend to pin one group against another. You see it everywhere!

Just take a look at the mess we have in Washington D.C. Wherever you stand politically, it’s quite obvious that our elected officials spend more time pointing fingers, blaming each other and trying to undermine the opposing party rather than trying to work together to get things done for the good of our country.

I’ll admit I have never understood the slogan, “Celebrate Diversity.” Why do we want to *celebrate* our differences? Don’t get me wrong… of course we all have differences and it’s perfectly alright to be proud of who you are, but wouldn't it be better to start off by celebrating what we have in common and then taking the time to truly *understand* our differences?

When we start off stating how we’re different, we immediately become divided. However, when we focus first on what we have in common, we’ve already established some sort of a mutual bond. I flat guarantee that I can find any person here on this earth and find more important things that we have in common than what our differences would be… even if it is no more than that we are two individuals placed here trying to survive.

What’s it like in your business environment? Is it Sales vs. Operations? Marketing vs. Accounting? Are your goals clearly understood by your entire team so that there is a **common** place to start, or do you just have people pointing fingers and playing the blame game? Sure, there are going to be differences of opinion on the best way to achieve those goals, but at least everyone should be on the same page as to what needs to be accomplished.

In life, as well in business, I can’t help but think that we would all be much more productive if we started out focusing on what we have in **common**, what our goals are, what needs to be done as opposed to being divided right from the beginning.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- General (sector)
- Washington, D.C. (location)
- business environment (topic)
- celebrating commonality (topic)
- understanding diversity (topic)
- team goals (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/celebrate-commonality-understand-diversity-4822). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/aa5b80dc-db30-4b9e-b99e-c99c168da653).