In the ongoing attempts to overcome racism and sexism in North America today, we are overlooking another kind of discrimination that is no less damaging and equally unjustifiable. It is a form of injustice that everyone knows, but no one sees: discrimination based on rank. Low rank-signifying weakness, vulnerability, and the absence of power-marks you for abuse in much the same way that race, religion, gender and sexual orientation have long done.
When discrimination is race-based, we call it racism; when it's gender-based, we call it sexism. By analogy, rank-based discrimination might be called "rankism." Somebodies and Nobodies explains our reluctance to confront rankism, and argues that abuse based on power differences is no more justified than abuse based on color or gender differences. It shows where analyses based on identity fall short and, using dozens of examples to illustrate the argument, traces many forms of injustice and unfairness to rankism.
Somebodies and Nobodies unmasks rankism as The Feminine Mystique unmasked sexism. It demythologizes the prevailing social consensus-the "Somebody Mystique"-to demonstrate the pervasiveness and corrosiveness of rankism in our personal lives and social institutions. The book introduces new language and concepts that illuminate the subtle, often dysfunctional workings of power in our social interactions. It presents rankism as the last hurdle on the long road from aristocracy to a true meritocracy, brings into focus a dignitarian revolution that is already taking shape and offers a preview of post-rankist society.
Robert W. Fuller taught physics at Columbia University in New York, where he co-authored the classic text Mathematics for Classical and Quantum Physics. He then served as president of Oberlin College and, subsequently, worked internationally as a "citizen diplomat" to promote democracy in developing nations. He has four children and lives in Berkeley, California.
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Fuller contends that the underlying cause of discrimination of any kind (race, gender, age, etc.) is "rankism." If we view males as superior to females, then the rock-bottom, fundamental problem is that we've "pulled rank," we've over-valued males and/or under-valued females. Gender bias is the inexcusable symptom, but there's a deeper problem. We've failed to acknowledge and practice that all humans have equal dignity.
Rank is inevitable in organizations as we differentiate by function and role. Rank is neutral. However, "rankism" raises its ugly head when rank, using the power linked to it, is abused.
We're often oblivious to the abuse of rank. It's the way things are. We're used to those in power being oppressive, or, maybe, we're in charge. In "Seeing Systems," author Barry Oshry describes the predictable experiences of a customer as one of being ignored and the "Bottoms" of the organization as vulnerable and disregarded. After Fuller left posts of college president and physics professor, THEN he felt its full effect.
In my mind, rankism hurts twice. It's a direct attack on the dignity of each person and it robs the organization of the gifts people offer while being discounted.
--Jack H. Bender, author of Disregarded: Transforming the School and Workplace through Deep Respect and Courage
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Fuller has captured one of the most neglected areas of abuse in our day to day life: pulling rank. As Fuller unfolds, every human being at some point in their day or week will use power through their rank or status to get what they want. Fuller exposes this use of rank or status and calls us to live with dignity and respect for all people we encounter, no matter their life status. The final section on dignity and respect are useful in how we might remedy intolerance in today's world. While at times redundant in thought and presentation, the book is important for guiding the reader into a journey of honesty and self awareness of abusing power and status.
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Short on pages but long on words, this book focuses well on one topic only: power and its abuse through rankism, with the consequent loss of human dignity. It uses, however, an Emersonian-resounding, high-flown pretty rhetoric throughout that, practically speaking, and particularly in the two-term Scourge of the Bush Regime, can ring fairly hollow at times:
"The nations that are most successful in removing rankism . . . will lead in the next [century]." (Page 11).
Are we avoiding speaking about China? It has a great human rights policy, doesn't it?!
". . . we now expect leaders to facilitate and improve our lives, and they themselves speak of being 'hired' or 'fired' by their constituents." (Page 94).
Oh, really? Has anyone heard lately of George W. Bush, Condoleeza Rice, Dick Cheney, Nancy Pelosi spouting off their doubts before the public about their being re-elected? How about Diane Feinstein? Who really has heard any politician talking about being fired by the constituents? What exactly happened with the lives involved in Katrina?
What the book does well, and potently, is make the reader aware of the insults to the individual's dignity occurring on all levels -- and in all classes -- of society, including the family, the workplace, the school or college, the community, the world.
By so doing, the author empowers the reader to redress demeaning speech and actions by others of rank, no matter where it occurs -- and much better than the authors of "Work Abuse" did to empower its readers.
("Work Abuse" is one of the reference books listed at the back of the book in a separate chapter titled "Related Readings," and while it was one of the first books ever to discuss abuse in the workplace, it cannot hold a candle to Robert W. Fuller's more comprehensive, more inclusive, and more insightful approach.)
Having said this, and while I agree with the author that all "ranks, like all races, are worthy of equal dignity" (page 8), the subject of rankism and its relation to the loss of dignity brought me to wonder what can be done for persons who have lost their dignity by selling it for material wealth, for persons who have thrown their dignity away through sloth, destructive drug-consumption, by being unmedicated schizophrenic paranoids, or who are bereft of it through helplessness.
Robert W. Fuller's work doesn't concern itself with these variations on the theme of the loss of human dignity.
This work is entirely an anthem to the inestimable value of human dignity everywhere. I am wholly grateful for his efforts. Robert W. Fuller increased my knowledge and self-awareness immensely by following the permutations on the topic he unmasked through his laser-like focus.
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Yes, I gave this book a "five", but that's not because it is a "classic" book that people will be reading fifty years from now. It's more of a "four", I suppose. The book isn't the easiest book to read. The author is a bit repetitive and the book could have been more concise. That said, though, just the fact that Fuller drags "rankism" out of the dark recesses of our society and demands that we, at least, talk about it earns him "extra credit" for me, thus the "five star review" from me.
Where does "rankism" come from? The "pit of hell" may be as good an answer as any. Since most behavior is learned somewhere along the way, for centuries upon centuries, people have learned from significant others that "there are some people who deserve more than others, who *outrank* others." Now, all people are not equal in intellectual or emotional intelligence. But, according to the author, rank is much more arbitrary than it is necessary or appropriate. And, once ranks are established, it becomes harder and harder to overcome them, to reset the table the way it should be.
As a Christian, I see rampant rankism even in Christianity. In fact, I often see it there as much if not more than in the secular world. The earliest Christians knew precious little of rank. For example, the Apostles Paul and Peter had authority *because of their relationship with the Lord and their *abilities* , not because of some pre-ordained rank.
When one is made "more special" than others at least a small part of the other is taken from them. No wonder Jesus warned us of this when he said "The Gentiles lord it over each other...but it shall not be so with you. If anyone would be great, he must be the *servant* of all." And, no wonder he gave the disciples the profound "object lesson" of washing their feet his last night on earth.
Rankism doesn't serve anyone but those with higher rank.
I thank Fuller for dragging this out for all to see. Hopefully, books like his will help to put rankism into the public mind and discussion. And, again hopefully, the human race will finally someday be able to put rankism behind us for good. (I can dream can't I?)
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I am going to second one of the previous reviews and give this book a full five stars. It's a really interesting view into how humans abuse power in each and every circumstances we find ourselves in. This book has changed my life and I thought that I had above average awareness around the reality of life for the haves and have-nots after growing up in apartheid South Africa. However, I had still got a kick out of being part of the 'in-crowd' at work and felt enormous shame around the other circumstances where I found myself on the back foot. By acknowledging this I've been able to have more compassion for myself and others and to take the actions that attempt to address the effects. I don't agree with the criticism that there should have been a greater emphasis on solution in the book - the solution begins which each and every person simply acknowledging that this inequality is a reality and that people need to be acknowledged for who they are and given a chance anyway. There is also a danger in thinking that the problem is organisations - individuals are organisations. I think there is a lot of hope in this book, as much as it outlines where and how people are victimised, it also allows for those victims to acknowledge that it was something bigger than just their inherent 'badness' that resulted in their experience.
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