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hierarchy critical

Hierarchies are relations of domination in which higher-ranking beings rule over lower-ranking beings, usually on the basis of a certain constructed social order. For example, a man who goes to work to earn money and cares little for his own children is already economically superior to the woman who is mainly busy all day with the care of these children and the household without earning even a cent for it. At the same time, the man's boss is at least in a higher position than the man in terms of decision-making power about the work to be done and is thus also in a more privileged position than the woman, whose decision-making power is very limited for economic reasons alone. The school-age, 10-year-old sibling, in turn, is not allowed to choose where he or she would like to live. And the slaughtered pig that this heteronormative family sometimes eats for dinner has not even been asked if it wants to die in order to be eaten by humans. These are just a few examples of forms of hierarchy.

 

Hierarchy critical means to be at least critical of hierarchies. Many here have the aim to dissolve hierarchies as far as possible and practicable in order to achieve a good life for all. People should be and become empowered to lead a self-determined life. People should be able to overcome in their personal everyday life and on a structural level e.g. dependence on wage labor and tenancy. In the sense of a critique of hierarchy/domination, hierarchies between human and non-human living beings should also be regarded as critical and action should be taken accordingly against these hierarchies. It should be clear that this is not always so easy to do and that not everyone can meet their own demands at all times. It is important for ways towards hierarchy-free utopias to have an active-lived claim to want to dissolve hierarchies and at the same time to be critical towards what we believe to recognize as hierarchy. Because: With questioning ourselfs and everything around us, we move forward!

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