Building a Culture of Dignity
By: Tom Rosshirt
Here’s one of the biggest paradoxes we face now in the United States – and it’s especially relevant after campaign season:
The use of contempt is rising -- even as unhappiness with contempt is also rising.
Most of us dislike the culture of contempt, and yet the culture of contempt prevails and grows. It can feel hopeless, but it’s not. There is something we all can do – but there’s a lesson we have to learn first. We can’t change a culture with individual actions. In a battle of individuals against a culture, culture wins.
(This does NOT mean there is nothing you can do. On the contrary, there is LOTS for you to do! Read on!!!)
What do we mean by culture? Culture is what we encourage and reward and applaud. When I can get money and fame and power and belonging for mocking the other side, I’m living in a culture of contempt – a culture that rewards me for using contempt. (A culture of contempt can get me to support contempt even when I don’t like contempt.)
On the other hand, when I get stature and respect for treating the other person with dignity even when I disagree, I’m living in a culture of dignity – a culture that rewards me for using dignity.
These are competing cultures – two opposing systems of incentives.
The culture of contempt now dominates in our country, even though we don’t like it, because individuals cannot change a culture. Only a culture can change a culture.
But we individuals can create a culture to challenge a culture.
If we want to create a dignity movement in a culture of contempt, we have to start by creating sub-cultures of dignity. We need to join with others who see how toxic contempt is, who see how often they use it, and who eagerly agree to use dignity as a guide to change. When a group, no matter how small, agrees that we’re all born with inherent worth and we all deserve to be treated with dignity, that group can improve the lives of everyone in it – and soon others outside it as well.
It’s painful to experience, but important to remember -- taking a stand for dignity in a culture of contempt can backfire. It can even put people at risk. But a group that stands together for dignity is different. In a fair fight, where neither side is outnumbered, contempt is embarrassed by dignity. That is the power of a sub-culture, and with the rise of a sub-culture, the larger culture can start to change.
Until then, we need to start close to home. In the midst of -- and in spite of -- the larger culture of contempt, we can begin to build our own little sub-cultures of dignity – starting with our families, our friends, and our co-workers -- agreeing to treat each other with dignity, and holding each other accountable for that. When we do this, we are slowly, patiently, systematically planting the seeds for the overthrow of the culture of contempt that keeps us down.
Tom
The Dignity Movement On The Road
It’s been a busy and impactful week for the Dignity Index team!
Massachusetts: Tim keynoted at the Massachusetts Association of School Committees convention, sharing insights on fostering dignity in educational leadership. Meghan and Karren were there too, presenting a deeper dive breakout session.
Utah & Alaska: Tami was on the move, presenting at the Urgency of Women's Leadership Conference in Southern Utah with Congresswoman Celeste Maloy, before heading to Anchorage to keynote at the Association of Alaska School Boards conference, with Karren joining her to present additional training to student leaders. While in Alaska, she also had the opportunity to meet Senator Lisa Murkowski.
Iowa: Our Students for Dignity team, Madeleine and Ira, took the conversation to Drake University in Iowa, engaging students in thoughtful dialogue about dignity on campus.
Oklahoma: In Oklahoma City, Preston Brightwell from our higher ed team presented a workshop to student leaders from campuses across the state of Oklahoma.
From coast to coast, we’re inspired by the passion and commitment of leaders and students to bring dignity to the forefront of their communities.