Countering the Domination-Submission Paradigm
By Wade Lee Hudson
The deeply ingrained, largely sub-conscious self-centered domination-submission paradigm permeates and undergirds modern society. The other-centered compassionate humanity worldview is a fundamental alternative.
As social stressors worsen, the implicit, unspoken, and unquestioned domination-submission paradigm is erupting into explicit, full-blown authoritarianism rooted in racism, toxic nationalism, and the acceptance of strong-man rule. If we instead establish other-centered compassion as society’s primary framework, we can counter this downward spiral and pave the way for sustainable progress.
This perspective calls us to consciously cultivate justice and compassion. Assure economic security. Enable everyone to participate in society as full and equal members. Undo the desire to dominate and the willingness to submit for personal gain. Set aside egocentric power struggles. Care for yourself so you can better care for others and the environment. Avoid scapegoating. Liberate your true self. Love others and ourselves unconditionally. Unite as never before to build a movement based on these shared values and solidify them with structural reforms.
Based on this worldview, activists can overcome fragmentation and grow a broad, united, powerful grassroots movement to relieve suffering. With mutual support, we can learn to set aside our desire to dominate and develop our ability to collaborate. One step at a time, rooted in pragmatic idealism, we can eventually transform the world into a compassionate community.
These possibilities are real. They stand on the horizon. The doors are open. A simple shift in perspective paves the way. Everyone knows the difference between self-centeredness and other-centeredness. We frequently switch back and forth between these attitudes but often get stuck in selfishness.
We need to inspire each other to be other-centered consistently and advance compassionate, democratic equality in every arena — our families, communities, organizations, workplaces, and governments — while learning to live in harmony with Mother Nature.
Peer-to-peer mutual support can help. Alcoholics Anonymous and other twelve-step programs have demonstrated the effectiveness of self-governing, self-perpetuating communities based on: 1) concise core principles, and; 2) an easy-to-learn format that facilitates self-improvement without extensive training.
Numerous authors have reported on the value of mutual support groups. These works include:
Join the Club: How Peer Pressure Can Transform the World by Tina Rosenberg.
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron.
True North Groups: A Powerful Path to Personal and Leadership Development by Bill George.
How can the compassionate humanity community use such methods to cultivate its worldview? A “holistic check-in” is one possibility.
At the outset of meetings, at least once a month members could respond to a focus question to report on their recent self-improvement efforts before proceeding with their regular business. Options for this focus question include:
Have you recently engaged in or witnessed a collaborative healing process?
How have you been improving how you collaborate?
How have you been working on being true to your true self that’s rooted in other-centered love?
How have you been working on becoming a better person?
How are you honoring your deepest values?
How have you been working on your desire to dominate or your willingness to submit for personal gain?”
A network of holistic support groups whose members use the same focus question to report on their self-improvement could build a sense of community rooted in this shared practice.
In recent years, my associates and I and others have experimented with numerous methods for facilitating mutual support for self-development. Many of these are included on the Americans for Humanity website under “Peer-to-Peer Tools” on the Social/Action page. We welcome suggested additions to this list.
With methods such as these, a compassionate humanity community movement could contribute to the holistic and systemic transformation of our world into a community dedicated to humanity, the environment, and life itself.