Hierarchies in Their Death Struggle

Our hierarchies are experiencing an accelerated erosion. More and more people are withdrawing their support – in large or small ways – for the right of the traditional holders of wealth and power to channel disproportionate resources to themselves.

Simultaneously, the demand for equal opportunity for the majority of people in the United States has grown steadily over the last fifty years. As soon as people who have contributed to individual causes ban together with a common issue, we will see the end of our long dominance of hierarchies.

Tipping the Balance

When the hierarchies of the United States were at their strongest, almost everyone fully participated – by choice or coercion. The responsibility for building and maintaining this system was spread among many people.

Now, most people are actively supporting the opposite ideology. Therefore, the base from which to draw the energy and resources it takes to maintain hierarchies is steadily declining. The responsibility formerly carried by two hundred million people is now being carried by a fraction of that number.

Shifting on a Seesaw

A see-saw on a playground can be used as a model to illustrate the shift in power over the last two centuries – a move from dominant hierarchies to a community-based, diverse society that strives to benefit all.

Imagine children sitting on a see-saw on a playground. The children are sitting opposite to one another, on a long board, with a fulcrum in the middle.

If the see-saw modeled our country, then one side would represent hierarchies which benefit a few and the other side would represent opportunity for everyone.

A simple physics equation describes this situation.

On a see-saw, two factors determine the amount of force each side can exert relative to the other side. The first factor is the weight and the second is distance from the center fulcrum.

weight of person     multiplied by     the distance to the center    equals    the force downward

or in symbols

weight    x     distance   =   force

According to the laws of physics, those who want to conserve hierarchies (hierarchy-conservators) can hold on to power in two ways:

1. Gain weight. The first option is to regain weight – to lure back supporters. Hierarchy conservators (HiCons) are using the same tactics that have worked so well for centuries – aggression, scarcity, violence, fear, and intimidation, to name a few.

2. Increase distance. The second option is to move farther away from the center. The rhetoric, tactics, platform and actions of HiCons have become increasingly extreme in the past fifty years. They have felt their power continually erode as the result of the political/social movements since the 1960’s.

Operation Death Struggle

The old hierarchical system of the United States is dying and is caught up in its own tumultuous death struggle.

Some people face their natural passage of death by surrendering with peace to the process at the appropriate time. Others struggle and fight against death, hanging on and resisting, trying every imaginable way to circumvent the inevitable.

Unfortunately for us, the people who want to conserve the power of traditional hierarchies are choosing a death with thrashing and conflict. We can expect many Hicons to go to extremes to hold onto resources and power with little regard to how their actions affect others.

Will the hierarchy conservators take the rest of us down with them? None of us are bystanders in this pivotal point in history. In fact, we are all active players with choices to make.