Somebodies and Nobodies: Overcoming the Abuse of Rank
by Robert W. Fuller | Nonfiction | This book has not been rated.
ISBN: 0865714878 Global Overview for this book
ISBN: 0865714878 Global Overview for this book
2 journalers for this copy...
I actually had this sent to Niles, MI because I was in the middle of moving. So it's travelled further than you'd think already.
I'm behind in reading, so this will be on my short list of things to read next.
I'm behind in reading, so this will be on my short list of things to read next.
Observations so far: good ideas, but sometimes beating me over the head with them.
Have a hard time believing that we should be concerned about some kinds of rankism, but not others. Such as proper rank of college president versus student. Yes, I agree in such a position, the president has worked hard to get to that position. No, power should not be abused. That is the part of rankism we should be addressing. At the same time, what happened to proper respect?
I think this is just another way of discussing respect for other humans. Respect is earned, is not a right. The real work comes from teaching everyone how to respect others, regardless of their apparent or achieved rank.
Some of this just comes through our journeys into adulthood. At first, we are taught to respect our elders just because. As I often told my dad, respect is earned. There's a time and place for questioning, and part of the process of becoming an adult in our society is learning wisdom to know the time and place for everything.
Not everyone can achieve this wisdom, and it's probably never fully achieved by anyone.
Anyway, more later.
Have a hard time believing that we should be concerned about some kinds of rankism, but not others. Such as proper rank of college president versus student. Yes, I agree in such a position, the president has worked hard to get to that position. No, power should not be abused. That is the part of rankism we should be addressing. At the same time, what happened to proper respect?
I think this is just another way of discussing respect for other humans. Respect is earned, is not a right. The real work comes from teaching everyone how to respect others, regardless of their apparent or achieved rank.
Some of this just comes through our journeys into adulthood. At first, we are taught to respect our elders just because. As I often told my dad, respect is earned. There's a time and place for questioning, and part of the process of becoming an adult in our society is learning wisdom to know the time and place for everything.
Not everyone can achieve this wisdom, and it's probably never fully achieved by anyone.
Anyway, more later.
I think the several short pieces at the end of the book sum up the idea of rankism and and recognition disorders more succinctly than the rest of the book. I easily got the point from reading these.
Overall, I think the idea of tackling rankism is good, but a bit idealistic.
Whereas there are specific groups you can point to with sexism or racism, it's much harder to identify and thereby unify the ranks of nobodies.
We are all nobodies within certain contexts, and somebodies within others.
It's hard to imagine an uprising or moving toward progress without defined goals, without people coming together to address this better.
Good idea, no simple solution.
Fuller mentions that an egalitarian society is not warranted; will not work. I'd have a better time at least striving for that. I can work toward equal with differences.
I am enough of an idealist/anarchist to argue that you can't work to preserve deserved rank while destroying rank abuse. You either work to end rankism (which would create chaos) or you just find ways to address power without attempting to end rankism.
I may be an idealist, but I'm also practical. I know the flaws of humans well enough to know that should we completely abolish rank (not as Fuller would suggest, but as I think would be logical), we'd have what amounts to chaos. Humans can't live in a perfect world because we are not perfect. That's upsetting, because I'd like to live in a world where everyone was equal, had the same access to the same education, where everyone got along, and where ideas such as rankism were just memories of the past. But humans are flawed, and I don't think in practicality, that lack of structure would ever work. There's always going to be someone trying to grasp power, and abusing it.
Overall, I think the idea of tackling rankism is good, but a bit idealistic.
Whereas there are specific groups you can point to with sexism or racism, it's much harder to identify and thereby unify the ranks of nobodies.
We are all nobodies within certain contexts, and somebodies within others.
It's hard to imagine an uprising or moving toward progress without defined goals, without people coming together to address this better.
Good idea, no simple solution.
Fuller mentions that an egalitarian society is not warranted; will not work. I'd have a better time at least striving for that. I can work toward equal with differences.
I am enough of an idealist/anarchist to argue that you can't work to preserve deserved rank while destroying rank abuse. You either work to end rankism (which would create chaos) or you just find ways to address power without attempting to end rankism.
I may be an idealist, but I'm also practical. I know the flaws of humans well enough to know that should we completely abolish rank (not as Fuller would suggest, but as I think would be logical), we'd have what amounts to chaos. Humans can't live in a perfect world because we are not perfect. That's upsetting, because I'd like to live in a world where everyone was equal, had the same access to the same education, where everyone got along, and where ideas such as rankism were just memories of the past. But humans are flawed, and I don't think in practicality, that lack of structure would ever work. There's always going to be someone trying to grasp power, and abusing it.
RELEASE NOTES:
On a picnic table near the river overlook and outdoor classroom area.
On a picnic table near the river overlook and outdoor classroom area.