Weak Like Me

People who identify themselves as being a member of a greater Hierarchy, such as in the larger community and/or a smaller group, tend to identify OTHERS also as fitting into this Hierarchy.

They will project "status" onto others, as well as roles, limitations, and expectations.

Since they believe that the Hierarchy is real, they assume that everyone else also lives within the same beliefs and parameters.

So for example, if they are a woman, and they think women have certain limitations, they will project those limitations onto OTHER women, as well as themselves. If they think that women are secondary in status to men, they will project THAT onto other women also. Whatever "roles" they think women are supposed to play, they will project those expectations onto other women and younger girls.

If and when they see a woman who does not comply with their roles and expectations, they may perceive her to be some kind of "rebel", or "freak", or "deviant". (In other words, if women are physically weak and don't do manual labor or trades in their world, then a woman who is physically strong, or who does manual labor or a trade is a freak, or is being deviant.Or, they may simply dismiss that the woman is capable of those things altogether, as if pretending it isn't so will make it go away.)

Obviously, men who live in the same belief that a Hierarchy exists around them, and that they're a member of it, will also project that onto others, both men and women alike.

If the "hierarchy" has men in higher status positions, it's easy to see why a man would want it to be real. Women often also want it to be real, however, even if the "hierarchy" makes them secondary to men, because that's just what they've always believed to be real.
So they've built their lives and their identities around those beliefs. Letting go of those beliefs may be too frightening and even painful for them.

They don't seem to have any idea that "Hierarchies" are constructs of the human imagination, and will follow along with whatever they perceive to be "how things are" or "how things are supposed to be". They will often try to force this "Hierarchy" onto others, and even try to "discipline" or SHAME those who don't seem to go along with it. Those who don't go along with the status and the hierarchy are actually threats to keeping the fantasy alive, because they're living outside of the parameters, and still quite "alive", sometimes even thriving.

Imaginary social "Hierarchy" such as is often found in communities and other groups has nothing to do with manners or civility, and in fact is a threat to progress, quality of life, and the well-being of people in the group or community.
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