Balance

Ted's recent discussions over at Free Range Organic Human reminded me of a conversation I had with a co-worker a few months back. We were talking about a friend, who prioritizes autonomy, and the co-worker commented that, much as he understands it, he doesn't share the emphasis on autonomy, because he sees it as largely a reaction to a world where we have so little of it. In a better society, autonomy would exist alongside interdependence, and would not need to be prioritized.

It reminds me of the emphasis on power that Ted talks about as reigning supreme in nature, and otehrs' comments that the fact that the powerful of this culture seek dominance over others is a sign of powerlessness and insecurity, rather than legitimate power.

The desire for power or autonomy is perhaps a legitimate desire given our circumstances, but should not be vaunted to the ideal that they often are for anarchists or radical-type folks. They're a self-defense mechanism, just as actual self-defense skills are, but that doesn't mean that the ability to fight or to be autonomous or self-empowered is the last step in life.

Balance, balance.