The older I get the less competition, in nearly any form, appeals to me. Competition gives us only three options--to win, to lose, or to tie. Were I to win, I would, by definition, cause others to be losers. That does not appeal to me. Were I to lose, then in the eyes of the world, I would be a failure. That does not appeal to me. And were I to tie with my other competitors society would view the contest as being unsatisfying and incomplete.
Horse training that is not based on natural horsemanship is a grueling competition for domination over the horse. Natural horsemanship is not based in competition. It is based in communication.
When I fail to communicate precisely what I want the horse to understand, I have lost. When I fail to understand what the horse is attempting to communicate to me, I have lost.
When the horse and I understand each other, we both have won.
I am perfectly happy using enough pressure to help the horse understand what I want done, but I will have lost if I use more pressure than necessary to communicate with the horse.
The lessons of the round pen teach just how false the very concept of racial superiority is. White supremacy is a concept that can only take root among those who believe that in order for a white man to win, a black man must loose.
Or, in more accurate analysis, white supremacy is a concept that can only take root and flourish among those who think that each victory for a black man is a loss for a white man. In short, it is a philosophy dependent on fear.
A world view of life as a competition and a struggle between you and me, us and them, our team and their team insures the development of a society made up of winners and losers, rulers and ruled, and oppressors and oppressed.
When that view becomes internalized one can be assured that the result will be violence--in the home, on the streets, and between nations. When that view becomes internalized it is instinctive to shoot a fleeing suspect in the back.
...because if he got away he would have won, and nothing is more important to those who internalize this view than winning.
1 comment:
Your last sentence sure does explain "why". The fact that falling asleep in a car - rather than driving after drinking - was considered reason to kill someone? So there could be a "winner". We hear far too much about winners and losers right now. That mindset appears to be responsible for far too much abuse & death.
Well written, Steve
Thank you
Maggie
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