Riane Eisler: "Domination and Partnership in Society"
Mar 27, 2024
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Nate Hagens chats with systems scientist Riane Eisler about transitioning to sustainable societies by valuing empathy and caring. They discuss partnership vs. domination structures, nurturing a partnership-oriented system, and shifting towards cultures of empathy and equality. Eisler advocates for a caring economy, valuing care work, and empowering leadership for positive societal transformation.
Societies reflect values at all levels; empathy and caring lead to cooperative governance systems.
Understanding domination vs. partnership systems; family, gender, economics, and language shape societal structures.
Advocacy for a caring economy and gender equity; nurturing behaviors essential for societal transformation.
Deep dives
Understanding Systems and Childhood Experiences
The speaker delves into the importance of understanding systems and shares personal childhood experiences that influenced her interest in systems thinking. She highlights the critical role of the first five years of childhood in shaping brain development and emphasizes the need for a systems approach in addressing complex societal issues.
Domination vs. Partnership Systems
The podcast discusses the concept of domination and partnership systems in human societies. The speaker explains the differences between these systems and emphasizes the significance of family, gender, economics, and language in shaping societal structures. Examples from historical and modern societies are used to illustrate the characteristics of domination and partnership systems.
Caring Economy and Gender Equity
The speaker advocates for a caring economy that values caregiving roles and emphasizes gender equity in both family and societal structures. By highlighting the impact of gender stereotypes and the importance of nurturing behaviors, the podcast focuses on creating a more equitable and compassionate economic and social environment.
Transforming Consciousness and Systems Change
The episode concludes with a call to action for individuals to become agents of systems transformation towards partnership-based societies. By promoting changes in consciousness, fostering dialogue, and implementing interventions in key societal cornerstones, the speaker emphasizes the transformative power of collective action in shaping a more equitable and sustainable future.
Exploring the Future of Humanity
The conversation extends towards envisioning a future society that prioritizes caring relationships, gender equity, and environmental stewardship. By advocating for a shift towards partnership dynamics and pattern recognition in human interactions, the podcast highlights the potential for positive transformation and co-evolution towards a more nurturing and interconnected world.
On this episode, Nate is joined by systems scientist Riane Eisler to discuss her decades of work studying ‘domination’ and ‘partnership’ societies throughout history and what it might mean to transition to more sustainable societies in the future. What we value at the individual and family level directly translates to the way we frame our governance systems - societies that emphasize empathy and caring also implement the same types of policies and values. How could we foster the more cooperative side of our humanity across all scales to create empowered communities and balanced decision making? What societies - past and present - lean towards a partnership paradigm and what benefits do their people receive? Is it possible to move away from violence and control oriented systems and into ones that value wide boundaries of empathy and understand the vital nature of care work?
About Riane Eisler
Riane Eisler is the President of the Center for Partnership Systems, which provides practical applications of her work, and Editor in Chief of the online Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies published at the University of Minnesota. Eisler’s innovative whole-systems research offers new perspectives and practical tools for constructing a less violent, more egalitarian, gender-balanced, and sustainable future. She is author of many books, including The Chalice and the Blade, now in its 57th US printing and 27 foreign editions,The Real Wealth of Nations, andNurturing Our Humanity co-authored with Douglas P. Fry. For more information, see www.rianeeisler.com andwww.centerforpartnership.org.