If you're an artist,
expose rankism; put dignity on exhibit. If you're a philosopher, define
dignity. If you're a psychologist, demonstrate the consequences of
malrecogntion and show us how to heal its wounds. If you're a historian,
chronicle the many forms that rankism has assumed over the centuries. If
you're an economist, calculate its cumulative impact on social class
and the distribution of wealth. If you're a comedian, make us laugh at the
double standards that apply to somebodies and nobodies. If you're
a filmmaker, give us heroes who overcome rankism without
resorting to rankism. If you're a songwriter, write an anthem for the dignity
movement. If you're a TV producer, stop exploiting humiliation and celebrating
rankism. Sooner than you think, the current staple of TV
entertainment--humiliation--is going to play the way racism now does.
Honor Your Inner Nobody and Your Inner Somebody Alike
If you're "just" you, don't be ashamed of the nobody within. It's really a genius--at least, it's your genius. Your inner somebody is dependent on it for new ideas, so don't let your somebody put your nobody down. Remind your somebody that despite all the attention it gets, it's a plagiarist and in grave danger of becoming a "smiling public man." Our somebodies are all guilty of stealing intellectual property from our nobodies. Likewise, if you disparage your inner somebody, you're trashing your meal ticket. It's best to remember that your somebody and your nobody thrive or starve together. Their proper relationship is like that of the masculine and feminine principles we carry within us--peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. As our internal nobodies and somebodies make peace and each gets the recognition it deserves, we typically find ourselves better able to extend to others the dignity we're granting ourselves.
Remove Rankism from Politics
If you're in electoral politics you can point the way to a dignitarian society, even if your colleagues aren't yet ready to embrace your ideas. Treat your opponents with dignity. Don't sneer,mock, or condescend. Avoid patronizing or posturing. When politicians affect moral superiority, they extend rankism's lease.
Since rankism is an attack on both liberty and dignity, denounce it along with the other isms. Explain to your constituents why you're against it--in all its forms--and then go after them one by one. Be the leader you wanted to be when you first imagined running for office. Be willing to lose an election for your dignitarian convictions. If you do, run for office a few years later, and win!
To paraphrase Victor Hugo, dignity is an idea whose time has come.
For further background on the connection between rankism and indignity, listen to Rob Kall's interview with me here.
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