Rankism

by phil on Tuesday Apr 29, 2003 8:23 PM
rankism

Rankism. Once you know what it is, you see it everywhere. An undiagnosed disoredr is loose in the world. It afflicts individuals, groups, and nations. It distorts our personal relationships, erodes our will to learn, taxes our economic productivity, stokes ethnic hatred, and incites nations to war. It is the cause of dysfunctionality, and sometimes even violence, in families, schools, and the workplace.

AlterNet: The Somebody Mystique and the Rise of the Uppity Nobody Fuller's life experience has led him to create an over-arching theory of "rankism," which he defines as "abuse and discrimination based on a power difference as signified by rank." He finds a common thread among all the familiar "isms" like sexism and racism, in that they all consist of the abuse of an existing power structure that results in inequity, injustice, or indignity.