Difference between revisions of "Inclusion culture"
From Danton's Real Life Userguide
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With globalization the cultural values of the Western economic system have spread world-wide. These globalized cultural values are based on a spirit of competition and exclusion. | With globalization the cultural values of the Western economic system have spread world-wide. These globalized 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 | + | [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 such disenfranchisement of any specific group is a more 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]. | 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]. | ||
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==Grassroots exclusion== | ==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 | + | 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 explicit culture of inclusion. |
==Building a culture of inclusion== | ==Building a culture of inclusion== | ||
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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 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 | + | 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 help the ordinary members to do things themselves. |
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Politics]] |
