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from the When-in-the-course-of-human-events... dept.
Margaret Atwood's novel, The Handmaid's Tale, described the horror of the authoritarian regime of Gilead. In this theocracy, self-preservation was the best people could hope for, being powerless to kick against the system. But her sequel, The Testaments, raises the possibility that individuals, with suitable luck, bravery and cleverness, can fight back.
But can they? There are countless examples of past and present monstrous regimes in the real world. And they all raise the question of why people didn't just rise up against their rulers. Some of us are quick to judge those who conform to such regimes as evil psychopaths – or at least morally inferior to ourselves.
To answer this question, let's start by considering a now classic analysis by American organisational theorist James March and Norwegian political scientist Johan Olsen from 2004.
They argued that human behaviour is governed by two complementary, and very different, "logics". According to the logic of consequence, we choose our actions like a good economist: weighing up the costs and benefits of the alternative options in the light of our personal objectives. This is basically how we get what we want.
But there is also a second logic, the logic of appropriateness. According to this, outcomes, good or bad, are often of secondary importance – we often choose what to do by asking "What is a person like me supposed to do in a situation like this"?
The idea is backed up by psychological research. Human social interactions depend on our tendency to conform to unwritten rules of appropriate behaviour. Most of us are truthful, polite, don't cheat when playing board games and follow etiquette. We are happy to let judges or football referees enforce rules. A recent study showed we even conform to arbitrary norms.
[...] A small number of us, however, would rebel – but not primarily, I suspect, based on differences in individual moral character. Rebels, too, need to harness the logic of appropriateness – they need to find different norms and ideals, shared with fellow members of the resistance, or inspired by history or literature. Breaking out of one set of norms requires that we have an available alternative.
Would you stand up to an oppressive regime or would you conform?
Do you agree with this analysis? What would you do in such situations?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by krishnoid on Friday October 11 2019, @01:54AM (5 children)
Got any reads for individuals' personal experience of the change of male privilege from both sides of the, uh ... knife (?).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 11 2019, @12:10PM (1 child)
Knife lol.
Always the voyeuristic obsession. The oblig conclusion: only somebody who is mentally ill would give up male privilege, such as Nora Vincent. Clearly mentally ill to reject male privilege. Not only that, but she fits the profile of an incel as well, attending male groups full of incels and expecting that womyn want anything to do with her..... (Google or duck the name before flaming!!! Then once googling or ducking accomplished, flame away!)
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Saturday October 12 2019, @12:54AM
As for transsexuality being a mental illness, the medical establishment disagrees. Sorry, but male or is toxic for everyone - the men who can't count on the same level of emotional support from other men that women get from each other, and the toxic consequences of testosterone-driven competition.
Ideally there should be no privilege - not male, not white, not class, to name a few. As one example of political privilege, just look at Hunter Biden. He would never have gotten a $50,000 a month job sitting on a Ukrainian board of directors if his father hadn't been Joe Biden. The Trumps have brought nepotism to the inner sanctum if they White House, but Biden is no angel.
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(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Saturday October 12 2019, @01:29AM (2 children)
That's the opposite of my experience (and quite common for trans women). All of a sudden, your contributions are minimized before they're appropriated. Your talk time in meetings is drastically cut back. The men at the table talk around you as if you're not there. You're paid less.
In other words, treated the same as any other woman.
So whenever I hear men say there's no such thing as male privilege, I think "try walking in my shoes."
There are good things, such as the support of other women, which I think of as the sisterhood. Think of it as a nicer female equivalent of "bro culture." It's nice to be able to give or receive a hug as needed, to be able to talk about more than just work, guy stuff, and sexual wants that are often spoken loudly enough to be considered sexual harassment to the women present.
Once you've experienced both sides, there's no way to not be aware of the sexism that undermines so much of our daily lives. It's also inevitable that it turns some of us into vocal feminists - or in my case, advocates for equality in all aspects, not just sex.
But look around - or ask people. It might be hard to find someone who is trans and willing to talk about it (I've been called a liar for saying I was assigned male at birth, so maybe I need to buy a t-shirt saying "trans women are women " or something). Me, I just find it's was easier to just assume that the grapevine has clued people in, and to answer questions that are legit. It's easier than depending on people to keep a secret (many people can't keep secrets as juicy as this anyway).
It makes life interesting, to say the least. Most people are accepting, but some can be out-and-our assholes,but that's no surprise.
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(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Saturday October 12 2019, @03:20AM (1 child)
I know! "Trans-Inclusionary Moderate Feminist".
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Saturday October 12 2019, @02:09PM
I hope he loses the election. He's been caught lying on TV too many times.
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