Tools Of Oppression
I Am An Oppressor
“The true focus of revolutionary change is never merely the oppressive situations that we seek to escape, but that piece of the oppressor which is planted deep within each of us.”
— Audre Lorde
It was during the winter of 2017 when I first began conceptualizing my Theory of Indivisibility, an anti-oppression framework for social sustainability.
I had spent the previous 8 years voraciously consuming books, research, speeches, and case studies about systems thinking, authentic dialogue, biomimicry, and the evolution of human societies which culminated in a light bulb moment while driving on a cold winter day that December.
In my mind's eye, I began to see the interconnections and interdependencies between our most pressing societal issues, the solutions created to address them, and the evolution of social norms and beliefs that perpetuate oppression. I immediately pulled my car over, reached into my glove compartment for my notepad and pen, and began to draw out what I was visualizing.
I spent the next 3 months conducting research to confirm my assumptions before I began creating content to share my ideas and insights with the world. This research combined with my growing understanding of systems thinking helped me to understand that harsh realities like poverty, sexism, homelessness, etc. don’t persist simply because people are naturally hateful and selfish. They persist because of how the dominant social systems that drive societal norms and influence individual behavior have evolved over the course of thousands of years.
Around 10,000 years ago, during the Agricultural Revolution, human societies experienced a pivotal shift. Previously, most humans lived in egalitarian hunter-gatherer tribes, where power-with social norms prevailed, emphasizing collaboration, equity, and equality. However, the advent of agriculture introduced new survival strategies and a need for organized labor and resource management.
This transformation led to increased population growth and the establishment of permanent settlements. Consequently, based on the relatively limited communication and problem-solving capabilities that had evolved up to that point in human societies, hierarchical forms of governance and resource allocation gave rise to authoritarian (power-over) social systems.
These new authoritarian norms were aimed at managing larger, more complex societies, marking a significant departure from the previously egalitarian social structures. And since our current social systems evolved from power-over ideals and beliefs that are inherently oppressive to many people (i.e. patriarchy), so too are many of our present-day ideals and beliefs.
I realized that I too was an oppressor because I carried oppressive ideals and beliefs that I had adopted just by being raised and immersed within this society. Sexist, fatphobic, classist, adultist, patriarchal, homophobic, racist, and other oppressive beliefs and ideals are the water we swim in. They are embedded in our institutions, our music, and our ways of speaking.
I realized that if I was going to start creating content, speaking, and writing about anti-oppression I had to first admit to myself that I was an oppressor and begin to scrutinize and change my own ideals, beliefs, and behaviors.
Power-Over Tools of Oppression
In 2021 I created and released the Theory Of Indivisibility infographic which includes a list of words and phrases called “Power-Over Tools of Oppression” and a list called “Power-With Tools of Liberation.”
I’ve never written or spoken in detail about what each of these words and phrases means to me or why I included it…until now.
In a world rife with complex social dynamics, understanding the tools of oppression is crucial. These tools, deeply embedded in power-over systems, not only perpetuate societal divisions but also impact individuals on physical, emotional, and psychological levels. This article explores each tool of oppression, illustrating how they can be self-imposed or used against others, and their detrimental effects on the environment.
Fear: The Cornerstone of Control
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Fear is a primary tool in “power-over” systems, used to maintain control and compliance. It manifests in various forms, from fear of exclusion to fear of physical harm.
Self-Oppression: Individuals internalize fear, leading to self-censorship, lack of self-worth, and an inability to pursue personal goals.
Oppression of Others: Fear is employed to manipulate and control others, often justified as a means of maintaining social order or safety and security.
Environmental Oppression: Living in fear stifles the creativity and cooperation essential for solving environmental challenges.
Scarcity: Manufacturing a Sense of Lack
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Scarcity, the belief in limited resources, fuels competition and justifies inequality.
Self-Oppression: This belief leads individuals to undervalue their own abilities and skills, perpetuating a mindset of lack and limitation.
Oppression of Others: Scarcity is used to justify hoarding resources and economic inequalities, often at the expense of marginalized people and communities.
Environmental Oppression: The scarcity mindset drives overconsumption and environmental degradation, causing resources to be exploited without regard for future generations.
Dependency: Eroding Self-Sufficiency
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Dependency in “power-over” systems refers to the creation of a reliance on certain systems or authorities, limiting individual autonomy.
Self-Oppression: Individuals may become reliant on approval or support from these systems, eroding their sense of self-sufficiency and confidence.
Oppression of Others: By fostering dependency, people and systems who seek to control others can limit the potential of individuals, particularly those in marginalized groups.
Environmental Oppression: Dependency undermines the development of resilient, self-sustaining communities, crucial for long-term environmental stewardship.
Standardization: One Size Fits All…Never Does
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Standardization imposes uniform norms and standards, often disregarding individual and cultural differences.
Self-Oppression: It leads individuals to suppress their uniqueness and conform to societal expectations, diminishing self-expression.
Oppression of Others: Enforcing standardization marginalizes those who do not or cannot conform, leading to social exclusion.
Environmental Oppression: A standardized approach often overlooks sustainable, localized solutions in favor of one-size-fits-all methods.
Erasure: Silencing Diverse Voices
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Erasure involves the deliberate omission or denial of certain groups’ experiences and histories.
Self-Oppression: Individuals from these groups may internalize a sense of invisibility, negatively impacting their identity and self-worth.
Oppression of Others: Through erasure, dominant groups maintain power by invalidating the experiences and contributions of others.
Environmental Oppression: Erasure leads to a lack of diverse perspectives, crucial for innovative and inclusive environmental solutions.
Moral Judgment: Dividing Right from Wrong
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Moral judgment in “power-over” systems involves imposing rigid, binary, and unnuanced beliefs and values, often used to justify inequality and control.
Self-Oppression: Individuals internalize these judgments, leading to guilt, shame, and a distorted self-image.
Oppression of Others: It’s used to delegitimize and marginalize those who do not conform to these moral standards.
Environmental Oppression: Moral judgment often dismisses environmental concerns if they conflict with prevailing economic or social interests.
Competition: Fostering Division
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Competition, as a tool of oppression, promotes the idea of winners and losers, encouraging a mindset of scarcity and conflict.
Self-Oppression: It drives individuals to constantly compare themselves to others, leading to stress and a diminished sense of self-worth.
Oppression of Others: In societal contexts, it fosters inequality and social stratification, where the success of some is built on the suppression of others.
Environmental Oppression: Our dominant economic system, capitalism, relies on competition and prioritizes profit and expansion at the expense of ecological balance, leading to overconsumption, resource depletion, and environmental degradation.
Laws: Legalizing Oppression
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Laws, in oppressive systems, are often designed to maintain the status quo and protect the interests of dominant groups.
Self-Oppression: Individuals may limit their actions and beliefs to what is legally prescribed, often at the expense of their own values and ethics.
Oppression of Others: Laws can be used to legitimize discrimination and inequality, disproportionately impacting marginalized groups.
Environmental Oppression: Legal frameworks hinder environmental sustainability when they are more aligned with industrial or corporate interests than with sustainable practices.
Conditional Love: Affection with Strings Attached
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Conditional love is used in oppressive systems to control behavior by offering affection and approval only when certain conditions are met.
Self-Oppression: This leads individuals to constantly seek external validation, often sacrificing their own needs and identity.
Oppression of Others: It manipulates and controls others through emotional withholding, fostering relationships based on power dynamics rather than genuine connection.
Environmental Oppression: The pursuit of conditional approval that aligns with power-over socio-economic systems often overshadows concerns for collective well-being, including environmental stewardship.
Lying: Distorting Reality
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Lying, as a tool of oppression, involves the distortion or concealment of truth to maintain control and power.
Self-Oppression: Individuals may adopt dishonesty as a survival mechanism, eroding their integrity and trust in themselves.
Oppression of Others: Lies are used to manipulate and exploit others, undermining the foundation of trust necessary for healthy societal interactions.
Environmental Oppression: Misinformation and deceit impede efforts toward the transparency and accountability necessary for environmental sustainability.
Exclusiveness: Creating In-Groups and Out-Groups
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Exclusiveness in oppressive systems creates in-groups and out-groups, reinforcing social hierarchies and division.
Self-Oppression: It leads individuals to isolate themselves within their in-groups, limiting exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences.
Oppression of Others: Exclusiveness marginalizes and disenfranchises those outside the privileged groups, denying them equal opportunities and rights.
Environmental Oppression: Exclusive practices hinder inclusive and collaborative approaches essential for global environmental solutions.
Social Norms: Invisible Handcuffs
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Social norms are unwritten rules that dictate acceptable behavior within a society, often reinforcing traditional power structures.
Self-Oppression: Individuals may suppress their true selves to conform, leading to a loss of authenticity and self-expression.
Oppression of Others: Enforcement of these norms marginalizes those who do not conform, leading to social exclusion and discrimination.
Environmental Oppression: Rigid social norms can stifle innovation and diverse perspectives necessary for environmental problem-solving.
The Illusion of Freedom: Faux Autonomy
Definition and Power-Over Relation: The illusion of freedom is the false perception that individuals have complete autonomy and choice, masking underlying systemic constraints.
Self-Oppression: This illusion leads individuals to blame themselves for systemic failures, overlooking the structural changes needed.
Oppression of Others: It justifies inequalities by attributing them to personal choices rather than systemic issues.
Environmental Oppression: Believing in this illusion can divert attention from the need for systemic changes to address environmental crises.
Intolerance: Rejecting Difference
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Intolerance involves a lack of acceptance of differing views, identities, or beliefs, often leading to social division.
Self-Oppression: It can cause individuals to close themselves off from diverse experiences and viewpoints, limiting personal growth.
Oppression of Others: Intolerance leads to exclusion, discrimination, and often violence against those who are different.
Environmental Oppression: Intolerant attitudes can prevent collaborative efforts needed for addressing global environmental challenges.
Mistrust of Human Nature: Doubting Innate Goodness
Definition and Power-Over Relation: This tool involves a cynical view of human intentions, identities, and capabilities, often used to justify authoritarian control.
Self-Oppression: It can lead to self-doubt and a lack of confidence in one’s abilities, goodness, and in one's own identity.
Oppression of Others: Promoting mistrust justifies surveillance and control measures, infringing on personal freedoms and dignity.
Environmental Oppression: A general mistrust in humanity undermines the collective action and optimism required for environmental stewardship.
Internalized Oppression: The Oppressor Within
Definition and Power-Over Relation: Internalized oppression occurs when individuals from marginalized groups adopt the oppressive views and beliefs about their own group.
Self-Oppression: This leads to self-hatred, low self-esteem, and a sense of inferiority.
Oppression of Others: People who have internalized oppression may enforce these oppressive norms within their close relationships and in their communities.
Environmental Oppression: Internalized oppression divides people and communities, weakening the solidarity needed to enact sustainable practices.
Thank you for reading!
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For a deeper dive into The Theory Of Indivisibility check out these resources.
