[lbo-talk] New Imperialism?

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Tue Mar 29 14:10:57 PST 2005


Doug:
> It's hard to say anything's "natural" in human behavior, but
> nonhierarchical arrangements have yet to present themselves in
> durable quantity.

"Natural" is an understatement or perhaps wrong category. Our all cognitive processes necessarily involve hierarchies - without hierarchies we could not differentiate, categorize, arrange, analyze, organize - in a word, think in rational terms. Things have no meaning if they are not placed in a context that by very definition involves some form of hierarchical arrangement.

It is only natural that hierarchy defines human relations, especially those involving specialized roles and a large number of individuals. Trying to get rid of hierarchies is sheer lunacy. The point is not to eliminate them, but to reduce some of their dysfunctional qualities.

Wojtek



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