View source for Inclusion culture

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==Social exclusion==
With globalization the cultural values of the Western economic system have spread world-wide. These cultural values are based on a spirit of competition and exclusion.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_exclusion Social exclusion] usually refers to the alienation or disenfranchisement of certain groups within a society, such as people belonging to a specific class, race, gender, sexual orientation, age group (elderly and youth), or people with disabilities. But underlying the disenfranchisement of any specific group is the general tendency of contemporary society to generate exclusion spontaneously on all levels.

The human instinct to form or join groups involves a tendency to perceive the world as divided into those who belong to one’s group and all others, who are seen as outsiders. During the neolithic the basic group was the tribe. With the invention of agriculture and cities, human society fragmented into a system of classes and castes, each defending its own interests. Modern representative democracy was formed in reaction against such systems of hereditary priviledge, introducing a notion of citizenship based on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equality equality] and [http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr human rights].

But despite the general acceptation of the principle [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equality_before_the_law equality before the law], contemporary society is characterized by a high degree of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_inequality social inequality] coupled with an obsessive regard for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_status social status]. The predominant ideology is a form of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_darwinism Social Darwinism] which sees competition as the main driver of social evolution. The ideal of relentless competition is promoted both in corporate culture and on reality TV (the latter being the reflection of the former).

==Exclusion and elitism==
The culture of exclusion is reinforced by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elitism elitism], the belief that a select group of people with outstanding personal abilities and specialized training are more apt to understand situations and should therefore make decisions for others. The emergence of social elites at all levels is to some extent both inevitable and necessary, and can be beneficial when social status is based on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy meritocracy]. But elitism tends to reinforce social exclusion, particularly when combined with a philosophy of social darwinism. 

The focusing of attention and resources upon elites is especially marked in areas of rapid technological change, where know-how is critically important. Thus the field of the Internet in general, and of web startups in particular, is particularly prone to an excess of elitism and exclusion. This contrasts starkly with the supposed democratic and collaborative culture of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0 web 2.0], with its emphasis on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-generated_content user-generated content]. This contrast between elitism and collaboration is the fundamental contradiction of today's web culture.

==Grassroots exclusion==
Patterns of elitism and exclusion are so deeply entrenched in contemporary culture that they are reproduced even at the grassroots level. The lower-level elites that emerge within social action groups or progressive political parties tend to accumulate power and influence, thereby marginalizing less involved members, who suffer a type of exclusion similar to that found elsewhere in society. Since these lower-level elites emerge by committing the most time and energy to the group, it usually seems inappropriate to criticise them. Thus the issue of grassroots exclusion is never raised, and consciousness of this internal problem never arises in the one place in society that one might hope to find it. To overcome the universal reproduction of exclusion it would be necessary to develop a new sort of political activism based on an explicitly culture of inclusion.

==Building a culture of inclusion==
Ivan Illich wanted to counter elitism by strengthening the aptitudes of ordinary citizens, which is one constructive way to counter exclusion. But it is also necessary to take deliberate steps to develop a culture of inclusion, as opposed to the dominant culture of exclusion. A first critical step would simply be to raise this issue of exclusion, to point out that elitism and exclusion constitute a problem even within grassroots groups. Once there is an awareness that exclusion is in fact a problem, one can begin to work on developing an inclusion culture as an alternative.

The building of a culture of inclusion could involve trying to give citizens [[Convivial Tools]]. But providing such means is less important than focusing on the ends. The aim should be to develop new cultural attitudes and behaviours that are more supportive to the ordinary members of the group. It is well known however that cultural habits are difficult to change.

The habitual orientation of exclusionist groups or organisations should be inversed. Normally the rank-and-file give their attention and support to the elite leadership, and the latter proceeds to do great things in the name of the others. Turning this around means that the leadership that spontaneously emerges (the elite) should turn its attention and support to the rank-and-file, and helps the ordinary members to do things themselves.

[[Category:Life]]