Episode 30: Inherited Power, Imagined Equality - Part 2
Can hierarchy and equality coexist? In part two of this series, Andrea and Hostion move beyond the critique of egalitarianism and ask a harder question: what does a healthy hierarchy actually look like?
Drawing from Daoist philosophy, Confucian teachings, and Coast Salish cultural practices, they explore models of hierarchy built on reciprocity, collective care, and the pursuit of shared good—not individual power. From the Daoist image of riding a horse (sometimes pulling, sometimes letting go) to the Confucian master whose aim is for the student to surpass them, to Coast Salish potlatch traditions where wealth is bestowed rather than hoarded—these are systems where power serves the whole.
The conversation gets personal, philosophical, and a little political, but it has to. Andrea and Hostion wrestle with the tension between egalitarianism’s promise and its blind spots, landing on a phrase that captures it all: equality is a state of mind.
Plus: two quiz questions you definitely want to try before you Google the answers.
Episode Sources
In defence of hierarchy - Aeon
Hierarchical cultural values predict success and mortality in high-stakes teams - National Library of Medicine
Who Are The Coast Salish? Ancient Guardians Of The British Columbia Coast - Social Treks
The Four Types of Organizational Culture: Which is best? - Forbes Magazine
Power Distance Index: Examples of High Power Distance Culture & Low Power Distance Culture - Culture Matters
From Hierarchy to Equality: Exploring Power Dynamics in Different Cultures - Medium
From disorganized equality to efficient hierarchy: how group size drives the evolution of hierarchy in human societies - National Library of Medicine
Struggling with distinction: How and why people switch between cultural hierarchy and equality - European Journal of Cultural Studies
In defense of hierarchy - Princeton University Press
Hidden Hierarchies: How Power Dynamics Differ Across Culture - Hunter Global
Quiz Source
10 types of organizational structures - LucidChart
Insights on Canadian Society Gender differences in the financial knowledge of Canadians - Statistics Canada