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Male aggression and dominance, Russia invades Ukraine February 2022, The Chalice & The Blade: Our History Our Future by Riane Eisler, The Dominator Model of Society
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What happened in the former Soviet Union illustrates the main thesis of [The Chalice & The Blade: Our History, Our Future]: The real struggle for our future is not between capitalism and communism, left and right, religion and secularism, or any of the other struggles constantly in the news. It is between beliefs and social structures orienting primarily to either the partnership model or the dominator model of society.
~ Excerpt from the “Special 30th Anniversary Epilogue” of The Chalice & The Blade: Our History, Our Future by Riane Eisler, HarperCollins Publishers, New York, USA, 1987.
The dominator model of society and governance is on full display as Russian President Vladimir Putin launches a large-scale military attack on Ukraine, an independent nation since 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. There is no room for respectful negotiations, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence when the “masculine virtues” of toughness, aggressiveness, and dominance take precedence. Women and children in both Ukraine and Russia will suffer most from the violent upheaval of their lives.
When will we humans learn that war is not the answer to what ails our world?
RIANE EISLER, a social systems scientist, cultural historian, and attorney, is president of the Center for Partnership Studies (CPS), dedicated to research and education. She is known worldwide for her bestseller The Chalice & The Blade: Our History, Our Future, now in 27 foreign editions and 57 printings in the USA. The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu praised her book on economics, The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economics, as “a template for the better world we have been so urgently seeking.”
Three Worlds One Vision 
Nice one
Cold/hot war re-incarnate
Testo driven machoistic male dominance
No room for pro creators “women and children”
Just enough space for bullies and thuggery !
What we are witnessing is another new world order “reset”….
Thanks Rosie for that insightful reminder of where we are and where we heading !
Armageddon? Hope not !
Let commonsence prevail
Hopefully a political solution to resolve our differences
Off my soap box
K UK
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Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts, Kamtan. I’ve just seen news on the Guyanese Online blog about Putin sending two supersonic fighter planes to Venezuela. Not good!
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We were better off when it was the Soviet Union.
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John, I think that lots of Russians would not agree.
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“It is between beliefs and social structures orienting primarily to either the partnership model or the dominator model of society.”
I have never seen this more accurately distilled.
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Cindy, thanks go to Riane Eisler. Reading her book was a vision-changing experience for me.
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Unfortunately, Rosaliene, it seems that the human being doesn’t seem to be able to learn from mistakes of the past!
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Martina, it is, indeed, unfortunate and will lead to our undoing as a species on this planet.
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:):)
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Probably when Nature does it for us
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I still think negotiation is the best option because war negatively impacts socio-economic progress in the affected countries. But now It seems too late for Russia-Ukraine leadership to sit around the table.
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AWV, I had also hoped that negotiations would have ended the growing tensions between Russia and NATO. My hope now is that the economic sanctions would have some effect in preventing Russia’s military attack on Ukraine from further escalating.
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Thank you very much, African Women. I fear for the diplomats who try to do it
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Derrick, all evidence now points to such a conclusion.
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Invasions and conquests have taken place throughout human history. These behaviors seem to be part of human DNA. It’s sad and pathetic that so many members of our species are programmed that way.
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Neil, based on the lives of our prehistoric ancestors, we were not always this violent a species. Over the millennia of human social evolution, we have, indeed, been programmed this way. I would recommend that you read Eisler’s book.
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It’s Darwin vs. Wallace. The Origin of the Species got most right except that bit. We need to cooperate in order to survive. That one skull on the top of the pile of all the other skulls (horrifying image?!) is just as dead as all the others. If we don’t take each other out, the earth will do it for us via climate change. Holding out hope today for Ukraine who is leading by example as well as the rest of the world. Thanks for this post, Rose. xoxo
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Pam, I found Vereshchagin’s painting quite striking in his use of the pyramid as the image of the folly of war. Even those at the top of the “dominator” society will eventually take their place at the top of the pyre. Cooperation and partnership between the male and female are more than ever needed for the survival of our species.
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Yes, Rose, I too think an in integration of our dualistic nature – yin Yang, male female, etc. – is a must if we are ever to ascend. ❤️🌹
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“When will humans learn?” Many ask.The future of humanity depends on finding an acceptable answer before extinction preempt those who ask it.
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Dr. Stein, more than ever before, we most surely need a clear vision of why and how we got to this moment in human history.
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Hmmmm…I would disagree with you, dear Rosaliene. Things are pretty different, while this conflict is a logical consequence of other matters. Unfortunately, people suffer. That’s true.
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Maria, I’ve never been sure of your nationality or whether you live in Russia. If you do live in Russia, I would welcome your perspective on why this conflict is “pretty different” from what we have been told in the USA and Europe.
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Dear Rosaliene, thank you! 🙂 Well, I will do my best to have a short speech as the topic is really serious & complicated. First of all, common people both in Russia & in the Ukraine are against any military actions or violence! So, what is going on is terrible indeed. If you look through the history of Russia you will discover that our nation belongs to Kiev, it was the seed of a future Orthodox world. Our nations are brother nations no matter disagreements, betrayals etc. we have had. We are so united that almost any family in Russia has relatives in the Ukraine & on the contrary.
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Thanks for sharing, Maria. Given the familial connections between the two countries, this cannot be an easy situation for all parties involved. Stay safe.
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This one is more a “civil war” !
How will it end is anyones guess.
Russia remains a very divided country
Religiously historically ethnically….only hope is for a political solution.
USSR update/upgrade !
Maybe ?
K UK
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😎 Thank you! Do my best. 🙂
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As for me, my roots belong to Poland & Belorussia. As Poland & the Ukraine once was a united state, so I suppose that I might also have the Ukrainian blood. Now, regarding the conflict. The present events are the result of the revolt taken place in 2014. You know it, the Maidan. The plot of this story is known to you & to other small nations who suffered from a certain power….This certain power arranged a revolt to split the Russians & the Ukrainians. The success was amazing. Brothers began killing each other. At present the situation is already out of control, the level of hate among the Ukrainians towards us is too high, while the NATO is ready to supply guns, etc. to burn a good fire of a new war. So, the measures that are being taken, on one hand, are consequences of these menaces. On the other hand, none political problem is solved with arms. It is impossible to win by force. The point is too slippery,especially in this particular case. So, I have no wish to convince you that the Russian side is the only right one & all what is being done for the better. Certainly, the Ukraine has made its choice & we must respect it as we live in a global world. We must always find constructive ways even if we see that the county is under an influence of a destructive ideology.
I’m out of politics, but if you wish to learn more, email me & I would be glad to discuss it with you.
I send you my warmest wishes. 🙂
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Maria, thank you very much for sharing your position of the current face-off between Russia and Ukraine.
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Oh, no problem, dear Rosaliene. It is not only my position. I did my best to gather our general opinion. It is so difficult to find the balance in these circumstances. 🙂 🙂 🙂
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What an interesting post, Rosaliene! And I agree, when will we learn that war is never the answer?
The dominator model reminds me of what researcher Brene Brown calls “Power Over” instead of “Power With.” I suppose it resonates with the few that kind of power has served in the past but we need to move to a better model.
Interesting and compassionate, Rosaliene, which is always what you produce. Thank you!
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Thanks for your kind praise, Wynne 🙂
Eisler refers to Brown’s “Power Over” as the “dominator” model of society. “Power With” can be equated to Eisler’s “partnership” model of society in which the male and female of our species are neither inferior or superior in relation to each other. As the historical record indicates, it takes centuries to change the status quo.
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Hi Rosaliene,
The excerpt from Riane Eisler’s book gets it just right. It seems that Putin is hell-bent on starting WWIII. Imagine if he, Xi and DJT were to team up. I don’t think the Earth’s precious atmosphere is big enough to hold those 3 egos. Hope you and your family are well.
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Henry, thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts. Our current situation is, indeed, very volatile when we consider that Russia is a nuclear-armed nation. Thanks, too, for sharing your personal experience of visiting Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine now under attack, several years ago in your latest blog post.
My sons and I are well, thank you. Hope you are, too ❤
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And in the West are we indifferent to the plight of Ukrainians? Or for that matter, victims of war and strife, wherever they may be? My heart is heavy, so heavy….after more than two years of dealing with the pandemic this seems like too much to bear, yet I have to continue to tell myself to have faith….somehow.
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Despair is not an option.
Neither is fear !
Eventually will have to be a “political” one.
Which will benefit all parties economically.
My two pennies
K UK
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You are 100% right, we cannot give in to despair, or fear. Thanks.
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Carol, there will always be people who are indifferent to the plight of others. However, I do not believe that people across the European Union are indifferent to what’s happening in Ukraine. The devastation of World War II is still very much alive. As for us here in the USA, we have large populations of Ukrainians and Russians living among us. They have already starting rallying for support to end the war.
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I know you’re right, Rosaliene. I guess I am just upset. We’ve had three weeks of protests here in Canada against mandated vaccines for truckers crossing the border into the U.S.A. It’s been very divisive and makes my heart and soul hurt. I am greatly impressed by the Russian people who are protesting the war and the overall condemnation of the world in reaction to it. Thanks so much. We also have a large population of Ukraine-Canadians as well.
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What is so baffling about the situation to me (based on my limited knowledge) is that nothing seemed to be “ailing.” This invasion is purely a response to the ” ‘masculine virtues’ of toughness, aggressiveness, and dominance.” It’s upsetting to say the least.
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It’s very upsetting, indeed, Diana.
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“When will we humans learn that war is not the answer to what ails our world?” What’s baffled me for years is that we can have such a wide range of ethical intelligence – all the way from Putin and Trump to Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Riane Eisler within the same species and century.
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History repeats itself…over and over again !
Humans should learn from mistakes of past by not repeating them.
What is amazing is how we repeat the same mistakes and expect different results !
Change we must as die we will
Two things are certain in life
Tax
Exit
It is appointed onto to men once to die …
But when ? Euthanasia ! Hitler ?
Que sera sera
QED
RIP
K UK
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I agree it is amazing how we repeat the same mistakes. Maybe we’ll learn before it’s too late.
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JoAnna, thanks for adding this observation. When might is right, the voices of humanity’s moral consciousness are easily silenced.
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Something worth thinking about Rosaliene. A very good post. I think it may also be about inner insecurities of a person and of course lack of awakening. But then I am no scholar of politics😊😊
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Thanks for adding your perspective, Parneet. Our political leaders are also human beings with inner insecurities. Add military power to the mix and we can get an explosion.
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Congratulations, Rosaliene, on all the interesting discussion your post inspired. Dominator attitudes are disrupting the peace and polluting the earth. We must work together to preserve the earth and ourselves (humans).
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Thanks very much, Rebecca. Learning to work together becomes more difficult with yet another act of aggression.
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Yes and it is a reminder why it’s helpful to stick together. 🙂
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An apt observation. One man’s dominating and aggressive attitude has brought so much man-made misery to the innocent people.
But war begets war. The seeds of the invasion were sown during the end of the cold war. And the cycle goes on!!
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Mousumi, thanks for adding your voice to this tragedy now facing the people of Ukraine. I see no end to this cycle in a world where violence reigns supreme.
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It’s absolutely heartbreaking.
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It is, indeed, Mousumi.
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Thank you for sharing!!!… with the help of technology (along with disease, climate change, etc.) change is taking place… there are closed minded elements of today’s world societies that for one reason or the other (more that likely either wealth or religion) who will deny that change…
Those elements are being led by people like Trump, Putin, Xi Jinping, etc. and they will stop at nothing to try to prevent that change and to stay in power… they just don’t realize by doing so, they are putting a nail in their own coffin because change is going to happen anyway and technology will show the universe exactly who and what they are…. “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future.”( John F. Kennedy).. 🙂
Until we meet again…
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!
(Irish Saying)
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Dutch, thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts. I agree that we cannot hold back change. Millions of lives more will be lost as powerful world leaders, including the USA, strive to maintain or regain their power. We need a new kind of leadership that seeks cooperation without the use of violence.
In his article, “How Zelenskyy emerged as the antithesis of Putin and proved you don’t need to be a strongman to be a great leader,” American political philosopher Michael Blake concludes: “If Zelenskyy represents a democratic hero, it should nonetheless be remembered that democracy does not need – and should not seek – the sorts of hero worship that authoritarians like Putin demand.”
https://theconversation.com/how-zelenskyy-emerged-as-the-antithesis-of-putin-and-proved-you-dont-need-to-be-a-strongman-to-be-a-great-leader-178485
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This as never been about Russia, and Ukraine… this as been, and as always been a Geopolitical struggle… Ukraine is just the means to an end… mere cannon fodder… gristle on the plate of the greedy, who promise much, but want no bombs dropped in their backyard…!
🇯🇲🏖️
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The sad part, Moribas, is that you and I are dispensable beings in the geopolitical games of those who wield power in our world. As Michael Jackson once declared in one of his songs, “they don’t care about us.”
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So true Rosaliene… but we must remember that you, I and the multitude can extricate the clock from the bomb… the few madmen who masquerade as Leaders were put there by us in some cases… and allowed to remain there by us in other cases… they are counting on us to die for them, and theirs… I think we ought to change the sex, and put more WOMEN in change as Leaders… the first, and second set may turn out to be maybe so-so, since they may think they have to imitate men… but after they break the mould, things ought to get better… even if with time they become madwomen… they can’t do worse than this set of asylum seekers…!
🇯🇲🏖️
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