Living under Dominance:

All “ism”s are socially constructed ideas. We made them up.

Racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, heterosexism, classism, and genderism are all prejudices that were created to pit us against each other so that certain groups can remain dominant.

So many people who identify in the dominant structure think these divisions are to help us all stay comfortable, agreeable, and safe. But, this is all part of the illusion because the only thing causing tense discomfort, unproductive disagreement, and hateful violence is when we believe in narratives of exclusion.

Prejudices will only continue to live if we continue to see certain groups of people as “not to be included” because they don’t fit the status quo. And, when we are consciously or subconsciously trying to reach the status quo for ourself so that we can belong, fit in, be trendy, and have a chance in this dog eat dog world, then we buy into these illusions.

There is a lot riding on this structure of “othering” to stay put. And, whoever holds the most money (along with being white and male) seem to not want it to change so they continue to feed it. Which is the furthest thing from the actual definition of democracy.

Shame & Fear:

“It is not being attracted to men that makes life harder for gay men…it’s homophobia. It is not the passage of time that makes getting older harder than it has to be…it is ageism. It is not having a vagina that makes life harder for women…it’s misogyny, patriarchy, and toxic masculinity.

Shame and fear create markets. Capitalism always needs new markets. Who says wrinkles are ugly? The multi-billion dollar skincare industry. Who says perimenopause and mild cognitive impairment are medical conditions? The trillion dollar pharmaceutical industry. The more clearly we see these forces at work…the easier it is to come up with alternative, more positive, and more accurate narratives.”

⁃ Ashton Applewhite

Let’s Think About Our Self:

When we are trained to “other,” judge, and cast out differences…we do this internally with ourself too (causing emptiness, self-doubt, depression, and anxiety). When we are desensitized and believe it is okay to hate…the easier it becomes to hate ourself.

This change towards inclusiveness, democracy, and a new foundation of capitalism is for the benefit of humanity. It would bring about a more collective and happy society together. But, just a reminder, it is also for us to be happier individuals too.

All this hate impacts our mental health.

There is a lot to advocate for. And I suggest we all do it together so it is not so hard for one individual or one group of people to fix it all themselves over a really long period of time. This could be a much healthier society much sooner if we all stood together.

I feel so alone in this. I love getting into groups that agree with me (as so much of the population actually does). But, that is not the point. The point is to have a world where we can connect with anyone, from any background, and with any opinion…so we can share our uncensored truth. Our own, unique voice. Together. Where so many of our different voices are heard so we can continually improve and create a place where all of us can be valued and feel supported by our society’s systems put in place to care for our populations.