Read Excerpts from the Book

Role reversals provide us enlightening experiences. Stubborn, sneaky, elusive hierarchies reveal themselves in an instant.

In our places of business we have ceilings with a maximum height of six feet. Ambulatory people complain that they cannot work in the buildings because they are inaccessible. Most ambulatory people have to stoop to walk, being especially careful to duck around light fixtures and vents. They must bend over to obtain documents from a three-foot high filing cabinet. They say they feel like they are working in an underground coal mine.

In autumn and winter, tens of thousands of fans pile into stadiums to cheer the Washington Whiteskins football team. The team mascot, a priest in a black robe and white clerical collar, performs Holy Communion on the field as a ritual to spur the rowdy fans and team to victory!

Six years ago, Ellen decided it was time to look for a paid job after being out of the paid workforce for several years. "Who says I have to follow this society's stupid hierarchy that puts earning money so far above family and community?" Instead of ignoring her unpaid work, Ellen wrote a resume that showcased her skills and experience in family and community activities.

The four women tell stories and jokes. They have philisophical discussions about gender and sexual roles. They create scenarios of interactions and relationships without hierarchies. The women watch a bit of television, hoping to get ideas of what's sexy to them. It's not much help.

"That stuff is marketed to what someone believes the 'All-American Male' thinks is sexy," Joanne quips. The women decide that they deserve better and quickly turn off that hierarchical brand of male sexuality.

"That program should have a label that states where it was produced," Bonnie notes.

"You mean Hollywood or something?"

"No! Made in a hierarchy!" The women make a toast to Bonnie's comment.

A junior in high school, Lauren still struggles with math. Diane reflects back to years of talking to Lauren's teachers and paying for tutors. Lauren's dad has also tried to help Lauren with her math. Year after year, the result has been the same - raised voices, anger, frustration, and crying.

At the workshop, New Perspectives on Math; Math Can Be Our Friend, Diane listens to Adeline describe how math's position on top of the academic hierarchy creates the tiers of success and failure among students of math. She finds herself taking deeper breaths and she relaxes her shoulders as new solutions come into focus.

Eventually Lauren says, "Mom, this class has changed my view of math."

Diane is thrilled. "We're on our way out of this hierarchy."

"You know, I saw my friend, Jimmy, today. I greeted him with, 'Keeping busy?' Jan says.

"And he said 'Not really. I have enough time. Most days, I accomplish what I set out to do and have time to enjoy my activities.' Honestly, I didn't know how to reply."

"I bet you didn't," Pat answers. "I don't think I would have either. That's so different than the fast pace we keep."

"Jimmy told me that if I'm interested in slowing down my life, I might like this Tour of Homes off the Hierarchy that's happening next weekend."

The United States: Clueless to the world?
Chapter 22

Because the United States positions itself atop of a global hierarchy, it is almost impossible to see the world realistically if we are part of the United States. We can, however, transcend the limited perspectives from the top by using our knowledge of hierarchies.

Earth speaks:

Good evening. Thank you for asking me to speak. I look forward to coming together each century for our intergalactic conferences.

If humans continue their efforts to move toward a non-hierarchical planet, we might see the survival of the species. The number of humans involved in this transition increases each day. I'm cheering them on.

The instant humans build the critical mass needed to sustain enough viable alternatives, then the dominance of hierarchies on Earth will end.