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“Because I said so.” Perhaps one of the first and most ingrained hierarchies many of us have experienced is the parent-child relationship. Not that human parents and children must organize themselves in a higher and lower relationship like that. But our western culture has hierarchy woven into most everything: teacher and student; boss and employee; landlord and renter; hierarchies even find their ways into some erotic settings with Spotify uses making public playlists titled “Sub & Dom." The company and consumer relationship is deceptive: characterized by lingos like “the customer is always right,” the relationship shows its true form as we all click the “agree to the terms and conditions” buttons. Companies have the law on their side, and we have no negotiating power. The etymological roots of hierarchy lead us to a deeper understanding of the concept: hier = "holy", archy = “ruler.” With holy rulers at the heart of the concept, it makes sense a vital vein, pumping blood throughout is the concept of power. And in a country whose official currency reads “In God We Trust," the government makes clear holy rulers are something to be revered. Hierarchies are just one model of power, though. Let's explode this one and see where the bits land. Perhaps we'll find paths lead us to previous EcoGather topics like Anarchy ("no ruler”). As always in EcoGatherings, we'll cultivate a space without hierarchies to explore this particular power structure, and explore what might happen when we look to other structures of power.
Recommended resources for this EcoGathering: