On comparing apples and oranges.

I suppose that it is human nature to compare things in order to
decipher one from another. If comparing was done chiefly for this
reason the world would be a better place, however when most compare
things, the classification is vertical. We seem to always see things
as better than or deficient from another.

The tendency to vertically compare things cam lead to trouble,
especially when we compare things that on the surface seem alike, but
upon closer examination, are vastly different. A few pairs of
objects that we compare are; boys and girls and apples and oranges.
One reason that it may seem fit to compare apples and oranges, is that
fundamentally, they are both fruit. They have beautiful skins, they
contain seeds, they are good for ones health. On the other hand, boys
and girls are both humans.

By placing objects or things into a broad category it makes it easier
for many people to easily grasp the concept that is being discussed.
This shortcut, like most others is not without consequence. For
example oranges are yellow-orange, but that doesn't mean that all
fruit are that color or even have half of the properties of oranges.
Added to this, there are several varieties and flavors of oranges.

In  the same way, while humans are the same, essentially, they come in
SO many flavors also.  The message here is that all things are unique. Even
though they may have commonalities with others that look like them.
Therefore, when dealing with people and things we should work hard
to not treat them by the expectations of our broad categorization.
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