Melanie Joy, "How to End Injustice Everywhere" (Lantern, 2023)
Jan 8, 2024
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Psychologist Melanie Joy reveals the common denominator driving all forms of injustice. She discusses the psychology of violence and nonviolence, the concept of 'carnism', and the importance of healthy and functional relationships. The podcast also explores the significance of relational communication, understanding injustice, and addressing infighting within social justice movements.
Non-relational systems use cognitive distortions, narratives, and privileges to maintain their existence, and raising awareness of these mechanisms is crucial to dismantling and transforming these systems.
Building awareness of cognitive distortions, narratives, and privileges is essential for understanding how non-relational systems maintain power and developing more empathetic and compassionate ways of relating to others.
Relationality in advocacy and activism is crucial for effective communication, achieving mutual understanding, and mitigating infighting within justice movements by adopting relational practices and recognizing interconnectedness of diverse causes striving for a more just world.
Deep dives
The importance of relational communication
Relational communication focuses on the process rather than the content. It prioritizes mutual understanding over being right or winning. The goal is to engage in discussion instead of debate, allowing for open and respectful dialogue. This approach creates an environment where both parties can express their thoughts, feelings, and needs while promoting connection and understanding.
Non-relational systems and their protective mechanisms
Non-relational systems use cognitive distortions, narratives, and privileges to maintain their existence. Distortions disconnect us from the truth, such as seeing animals as abstractions rather than individuals. Narratives are stories that justify non-relational behaviors and make them seem right or necessary. Privileges grant advantages to some and deny them to others, reinforcing the power dynamics of non-relational systems. Building awareness of these mechanisms is crucial to dismantling and transforming these systems.
The significance of raising awareness about cognitive distortions
Raising awareness about cognitive distortions, narratives, and privileges is essential for understanding how non-relational systems maintain power. By recognizing these social phenomena, we can challenge and change our own distorted perceptions and narratives. Increasing awareness of these mechanisms also helps us to develop more empathetic and compassionate ways of relating to others, facilitating the construction of healthier, more equitable systems and relationships.
Acting against values in non-relational behavior
When it comes to eating animals, most people care about animals and feel empathy for them. Yet, many of these people still consume animal products, contradicting their values and integrity. This non-relational behavior harms the dignity of animals as it fails to treat them with respect. People often engage in such behavior without realizing the disconnect caused by societal conditioning. Similar non-relational behavior can also be seen in toxic communication, where individuals put others down to bolster their own self-worth. These non-relational behaviors, though subtle, contribute to a lack of connection and a sense of insecurity.
The importance of relationality and respect for moral worth
Relationality in advocacy and activism is crucial for effective communication and achieving mutual understanding. It is essential to approach others' perspectives with respect and avoid shaming or moral superiority. Recognizing the two senses of moral worth allows us to emphasize egalitarianism in considering the interests of all sentient beings and acknowledge the value of cultivating virtue. While striving for relationality, it is vital to avoid perfectionism and acknowledge the complexities of navigating a relationally dysfunctional world. Infighting within justice movements can be mitigated by adopting relational practices and recognizing the interconnectedness of diverse causes striving for a more just world.
In this eye-opening and compelling work, psychologist Melanie Joy reveals the common denominator driving all forms of injustice. The mentality that drives us to oppress and abuse humans is the same mentality that drives us to oppress and abuse nonhumans and the environment, as well as those in our own groups working for justice.
Melanie Joy, PhD, is a Harvard-educated psychologist, celebrated speaker, and the author of seven books, including the bestselling Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows; and Getting Relationships Right: How to Build Resilience and Thrive in Life, Love, and Work. Melanie’s work has been featured in major media outlets around the world, and she has received a number of awards, including the Ahimsa Award – previously given to the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela – for her work on global nonviolence. Melanie has given talks and trainings in over 50 countries, and she is also the founding president of the international NGO Beyond Carnism.
