Macropower: Collective Power
PAGE IN PROGRESS
What you see here is a page of my hypertext book POWER of meanings // MEANINGS of power. Initially empty, this page will slowly be filled with thoughts, notes, and quotes. One day, I will use them to write a coherent entry, similar to these completed pages. See this post to better understand my creative process. Thank you for your interest and patience!
What you see here is a page of my hypertext book POWER of meanings // MEANINGS of power. Initially empty, this page will slowly be filled with thoughts, notes, and quotes. One day, I will use them to write a coherent entry, similar to these completed pages. See this post to better understand my creative process. Thank you for your interest and patience!
discourse (Foucault)
three forms of macropower that I will discuss
-technology
- media (including language and stories)
- bureaucracy (for example, https://helpfulprofessor.com/bureaucracy-examples/; more specific example: https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/2016/05/aa-shopping-centers-california)
movie Brazil
people create systems that are bigger than them Amit not entirely comprehensible to them and that impact them
society as a whole - main example
society does not fit specific individuals
society is all about survival of species
smaller examples: countries, corporations, organizations
we deal with individuals, but we actually deal with systems/meanings that are channeled through these individuals
we blame specific individuals while we don’t recognize that their actions are determined by systems/meanings that we are a part of ourselves that we contribute to though our daily actions (power as influence)
individual does not care about society, society does not care about individual
does it mean that if we let society be as it is with any imperfections, without considering individuals, that would be the best for society?
not Necessarily, as ecological problems demonstrate
are ecological problems a result of social development that was meant to help individuals?
Our behavior is influenced by what we think other think about our behavior
We do what we think is acceptable
Harari, chapter about religion:
” Da alle gesellschaftlichen Ordnungen von Menschen erfunden werden, sind sie zerbrechlich, und je größer eine Gesellschaft, umso zerbrechlicher sind sie. Den Religionen kam eine zentrale Aufgabe zu, weil sie diese zerbrechlichen Ordnungen legitimieren, indem sie auf einen übermenschlichen Willen verwiesen. Die Religionen behaupten nämlich, dass unsere Gesetze nicht etwa einer menschlichen Laune entspringen, sondern von einer absoluten Autorität angeordnet wurden. Auf dieser Grundlage lassen sich einige Prinzipien formulieren, die nicht in Zweifel gezogen werden können und der Gesellschaft ein stabiles Fundament geben.”
No intentionality on this level
power of her beauty:
beauty used intentionally (micro power)
beauty used intentionally - discourse- beauty is in the the of the beholder - macropower
maybe (often is?) a combination
Meanings as example of macropower
Meaning of money
Language has power over us: this is actually a form of macro power. Language existed through people, so what has power over an individual is other individuals, although some of these individuals may have more micro power than others.
Social constructs as macropower
money: most people need to accept meanings of money in order for the economic system to function. Some of the individuals who contribute to the macropower of money may be actually really disadvantaged by the economic system (poor people). Having less micro power does not mean not being part of macropower.
A short boy in school may feel embarrassed and disadvantaged by his height. His other qualities do not matter because, according to expectations of his culture, boys are supposed to be tall, not short. [girls are called "shorty" in an endearing way]
macropower determines micropower - expectations of his environment determine what the short boy can do; but also determine what other kids can tell him about his height
Sapiens: myths that support social order
chapter 8: vicious circles of castes (India) and race (US)
Culkin (not McLuhan): "We shape our tools, and our tools shape us."
Power of meaning is related to circumstances. We are conditioned by circumstances to see some meanings while ignoring (or not even being aware of) others.
corporations - mini society
goal of corporation is survival and growth
individuals don’t matter as long as they contribute to survival and growth
Example: big pharma and antibiotic research https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/astonishing-medical-potential-soil-northern-ireland-graveyard-180973741/
technioogy: different people trying to fix our furnace; people create mechanisms that they don’t fully understand; futuristic fears about the revolt of the machines (was our furnace revolting?)
