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Rankism vs. the Golden Rule
Examples of rankism (some may overlap): * Illegitimate uses of legitimate rank (e.g., a boss extorting money or sex from an employee) * The creation or use of social hierarchies that condone degradation and exploitation (e.g., the social construct of white superiority and supremacy, the caste system) * Damaging or degrading assertions of rank (e.g., hate crimes, sexual harassment, child abuse) * Actions or social arrangements that violate the principle of equal dignity (e.g., racial segregation, lack of the franchise) * Putting others down; disempowering them (name-calling or obfuscation by elites) * Using the power inherent in rank to strengthen the hold on a senior position or otherwise advantage incumbents. (E.g., office-holders exploiting the advantages of incumbency to insure retention of | |||||||||||
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Rankism is a collective name for the various ways power can be abused in the context of a rank difference. It's a name broad enough to cover a wide range of rank-based indignities and abuses. Whereas rank is meant to serve, rankism is self-serving, a perversion of service.