I made a blog entry several months ago about the subject of "rankism" - which is, vernacularly put, the act of "pulling rank" on subordinates, and subjecting them to other indignities on a regular basis. The corporate world is rife with this kind of behavior, but it has also become increasingly common almost everywhere around us. On reviewing this blog entry last week, I noticed that someone involved with the anti-rankism movement had left a comment. Included in the comment was the URL to the website at the link below. This website is called "Breaking Ranks", and focuses on the "dignitarian" movement pioneered by Robert Fuller, social activist and author of All Rise. The website features sections entitled "Rankism: A Social Disorder". "Dignity: Universal Human Right", "Modeling A Dignitarian Society" and "20 Ways To Combat Rankism". It also includes a list of Mr. Fuller's articles, links to articles in the mainstream press about his movement, and a podcast of an interview with a Canadian cabinet minister on the subject. I urge anyone reading this blog to visit this website. Eradicating "rankism" may seem like a quixotic venture to many, but the radical nature of the concept is quite breathtaking and its goals are certainly something worth fighting for. I intend to make a thorough exploration of this website when time allows, and to contact those who run it.

My own feeling thus far about "rankism" is that workers of all walks of life should stop worshipping the rich and the famous and the powerful simply because they are rich and famous and powerful, and view with a skeptical eye any species of "authority" or presumed "superiority". It is time to embrace a cool agnosticism towards the false idols of rank, and reinvigorate the healthy contempt for authority that once made America great. However, simply turning a cold shoulder to "rankism" is at best a passive-aggressive tactic, and I think the authors of "Breaking Ranks" have something much more proactive in mind.

"Breaking Ranks" at http://www.breakingranks.net