The Desire to Dominate and the Willingness to Submit

By Wade Lee Hudson

Power struggles weaken organizations, but hardly anyone addresses the divisive social conditioning that inflames the desire to dominate and the willingness to submit for personal gain. Overcoming this divisive root cause can help fix dysfunctional organizations and build a systemic reform movement to transform society into a just and compassionate community rooted in democratic hierarchies.

Hyper-individualistic, hyper-competitive domination leads to exploitation and efforts to defeat “enemies” and punish scapegoats. Blind submission reinforces the status quo. The failure to distinguish between justified and unjustified domination/submission interferes with controlling adverse reactions. 

Paternalistic human service professionals assume a superior, controlling, disabling attitude toward clients. Nonprofit housing corporations resist collaborating with tenant councils. Kind-hearted people-helpers seek ego gratification and social status. Teachers funnel knowledge into students’ minds in a one-way process. Traditional doctors and nurses treat patients as objects. Self-seeking trainers of all sorts hustle for money and praise.

By Wade Lee Hudson

The desire for wealth, power, and status in order to dominate and the willingness to submit to oppressive power is society’s driving force. This pattern permeates every arena: cultural, social, personal, economic, environmental, and political — national, and international. 

These dynamics reinforce each other, producing our prevailing self-perpetuating system — the System. This hyper-competitive, hyper-individualistic system pressures people to conform, forces many to obey against their will, fragments society, scapegoats “enemies,” blames individuals for social problems, and foments revenge and the desire to punish. With activists, toxic interpersonal dynamics often result.

Changing this system fundamentally requires a new central mission, such as: to transform our dominant social system — the System — into a just and compassionate community that serves humanity, the environment, and life itself.

A systemic reform movement committed to a mission like this could advance simultaneous, synergistic reforms in every arena. This holistic and systemic transformation would address the whole person and the whole society, reform existing social structures, and establish new ones. 

By Wade Lee Hudson

Countless compassionate individuals relieve suffering and promote justice, but these efforts are fragmented and internal conflicts undermine effectiveness. 

What if we unite, call for holistic and systemic transformation, unlearn divisive social conditioning, build caring communities, and focus on winnable policy changes? A powerful independent, global movement could emerge. 

Activists could come together briefly to support each other and accomplish more together than they can alone — and then return to their regular activities, empowered by a sense of purpose and solidarity.

Imagine two million Americans urging their Congresspeople to support a crucial bill with strong public backing but stuck in Congress. These campaigners use various methods, such as letters, emails, phone calls, office visits, and statements at public forums. 

By Wade Lee Hudson

Society weaves together our institutions, communities, families, cultures, and ourselves as individuals into a single self-perpetuating social system — the System.  This system permeates every aspect of our lives. Our society teaches individuals, groups, organizations, and nations to seek status, wealth, and power to dominate and exploit those below them and submit to those above them for selfish gain. 

Compassion-mind individuals and organizations promote justice and relieve suffering in countless ways — at home and work, in spiritual communities and civic organizations, and with their nations. If these fragmented efforts united, they could change the world. 

A powerful grassroots movement based on shared principles could nurture just and compassionate communities dedicated to all humanity, the environment, and life itself.