Today I am reposting a blog on dissent – may you stand tall, stay true and speak up.
“Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetime.”
Jacob Bronowski
Dissenters are a real pest, especially in a nice, neat, and controlled environment. When the mantra is to be happy, submissive and comfortable, dissenters, like the prophets of old, upset the royal apple cart. When the power of governments, organisations or institutions, precariously rests on the ‘happiness’ and ‘compliance’ of its subordinates, dissenters are extremely dangerous.
When I talk about dissent, I am referring to an ability to hold a differing opinion to the status quo or to protest an injustice. Please do not mistake dissent for abuse or violence. Also, if you are continually protesting and criticising, it may be wise to take time to reflect and deal with your own shadow, as it may be reflecting back to you in the mirror of others.
The brilliant Socrates provides a rather sorry example of dissent. He stood up to a system that eventually murdered him. His protest was particularly threatening as Athens began to crumble after the bloody wars with Spa
rta. Athens’ Golden Age was over. Failing empires, terrified at their dwindling power, will do just about anything to silence the voices that they see as threatening. Socrates likened himself to a gadfly sent to keep a lazy and fat thoroughbred horse (the State) alert and awake. His sentiment was not appreciated, and he was put to death. History proves this to be the fate of many dissenters. In the sacred text of the Old Testament, the prophets sat on the margins of power structures and would regularly protest the shenanigans of unjust systems, and, like Socrates, they often found themselves rather dead.
rta. Athens’ Golden Age was over. Failing empires, terrified at their dwindling power, will do just about anything to silence the voices that they see as threatening. Socrates likened himself to a gadfly sent to keep a lazy and fat thoroughbred horse (the State) alert and awake. His sentiment was not appreciated, and he was put to death. History proves this to be the fate of many dissenters. In the sacred text of the Old Testament, the prophets sat on the margins of power structures and would regularly protest the shenanigans of unjust systems, and, like Socrates, they often found themselves rather dead.The unpleasant truth is we need dissent. We need to hear the voices of disagreement and criticism. A thriving organisation will see dissent as a duty. Studies have shown that organisations where board members like each other, dine together and discourage open debate, tend to lose financially: “Like-minded people, talking only with one another, usually end up believing a more extreme version of what they thought before they started to talk.” If you want a healthy organisation, then you need to invite those who think differently into places where policies are made. You need to work hard to prevent laziness of thought that breeds in comfort, sameness, and familiarity. Avoid a culture that does not allow for questions, doubt, or expressing concerns. Those annoying ‘red flag’ fliers can save your hide. You need to see dissent as an obligation and insist on a wide variety of voices. In dissent lie the keys to health and balance. A contrarian can contribute tremendously by offering a different point of view. Research demonstrates that just knowing there’s a dissenting voice is enough to ‘induce different cognitive processes that yield better judgments.’
When it comes to organised and institutional religion, it becomes very concerning to observe the disdain some religious leaders demonstrate towards dissenters. Even though Protestantism has a rather rich history of dissent (check out the name again!), it seems like in some modern churches today, any form of criticism is seen as being disloyal or unbiblical. The church, just like any other organisation, deserves and needs the same honest critique as any other. And, yes, you can be the Church, love the Church, participate in the Church, and also protest the Church.
So for those who are facing an issue of injustice and find themselves wanting to speak up but feeling threatened, remember the words of the novelist William Faulkner, “Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world … would do this, it would change the earth.“ Remember, we need the voice of dissent, the contrarian in our lives, organisation and world, as painful as it may be. A community that ignores or silences its dissenters is a place that has begun to die a long time ago. Perhaps one of the most uncomfortable and healthiest things you can do this week is to give yourself permission to ungag the voices of dissent in your life?
What an interesting question. My own work on silence has been qualitative and suggests a cultural difference in how silence is accomplished and what it means. I wonder if some of the research on whistle blowers might be helpful. Whistle blowing is the opposite of the two types of silence you mention in your post, so the measures used in those studies may be helpful as you create your own measure of silence.
OK, I will!
I’ve been sitting on something for months, rewriting what I need to say so many times as I apologise almost in advance! By personal experience, it can be a lonely existence but even worse when you are accused of just being unhelpfully critical for the sake of rebellion.I am currently having someone tell me forcefully that I – and we – should all get in a particular kind of boat, as an exciting new direction; but they have forgotten the roles played by the boat-builders, the supporters, trainers and feeders of those who are better at being in the boat than I and wouldn’t be effective or long-lasting without those who wae goodbye.
I agree, Mal. It can be a very lonely road.
Couldn’t agree more. I thrive in an environment where people have a different narrative to the one I presently hold. That makes me grow and be prepared to endure a time of unlearning, and be open to new ideas and concepts. I am constantly being told I am stepping out of the box. The problem is I WAS NEVER IN THE BOX.
Thanks for your comment, Lance. It seems nowadays the ‘box police’ are becoming more stringent 🙂 Viva La Box-Destroyers!