It’s No Joke

A coach, a headhunter, and a CEO enter a zoom room…Sounds like the start of a joke, right?I mean, they didn’t intend it to beBut by the time they were done, i saw that was exactly what it wasThey were part of a group of high net worth individualsAiming to solve the problems on earthThey believe only entrepreneurship can effectively addressI can get their marginalization of governmentAnd for a moment, it felt like a real boon to even be in the meetingBut when I asked, “where is nature represented in this discussion”They brushed me off as missing the obvious: “All of this is in service of nature”I couldn’t help but feel like this was a meeting to decide a person’s fateWithout including the personIndeed, excluding the person from the discussionPatriarchal culture is so certain it knows what’s bestIt really doesn’t need to consult those whom they impactI see it everywhereThe patriarchal dynamic doesn’t just mean ‘men’ eitherLord knows I operated from a patriarchal orientation, even certain I was a feministAnd as I’ve dismantled it in myselfI’ve come to equate patriarchy with the thinking brain - intolerant of feelingMuch like Joseph Campbell’s hero and tyrant:The tyrant, assured of his exceptionality, is the being of self-achieved independenceNot reliant on anyone or anythingHolding himself above it as he seeks to control itThe hero, on the other hand, is the being of self-achieved submissionA willingness to be in relationship with the worldTo expect and receive help as he gives his best effortThe hero submits to life as it’s livingNot an inflated idea of what it should be.Here in the job huntThe folks who market themselves wellAs knowing, achieving, dominatingAre faring better than the likes of meBut our time is coming, us listeners, carersAnd in the meanwhileI’ll continue to deconstruct any golden or ivory towers I once held myself inTo build the road as i walk itListening to the landscapeAnd surrendering to sentience This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fallingtenderly.substack.com