Under The Umbra Ep 09 – Power Part 1 of 3

In this episode, we’re discussing Power!

This is part 1 of 3.

The Co-Host is my longtime friend Ian, and he and his girlfriend have an upcoming project of artisan soap. I’ll share more info once they get it set up. If you’d like to help out or mentor them on soap distribution, let me (Electra) know and I’ll get you in contact!

Sections

• 0:00:00    Intro Credits
• 0:01:06    Introduction Chat
• 0:10:36    Ian's Intro section and our relationship via Japan
• 0:12:13    Grounding Prayer
• 0:13:09    talking about Power in conflict
• 0:14:23    Alicia Garza and #BLM - 2015 - power TO versus power OVER
• 0:15:12    Sword of Damacles and Power - hidden costs, hidden anxiety
• 0:18:00    more about Power To and cold rational wielding stems from Western beliefs about purity reductionism and hierarchy; can compare to Eastern philosophy of phasic and overlapping nature of reality, relative and holographic; and realize There Is An Alternative
• 0:21:50 Philosophies/paradigms are Made True through punishing or ignoring anything that disagrees and rewarding and extolling anything that confirms it, so in the US linear hierarchies look like There Is No Alternative; this makes people who could use Power To inclined to disavow their power because it's associated with Power Over as the only option when it isn't.
• 0:22:54    What happens when we disavow our Power? 1) We don't act when we could, and 2) When we do act, we flail and clumsily cause harm. Also informed by Heart Of Business class Money & Power "I am wearing sturdy boots" analogy
• 0:24:33    Linear Hierarchy is linked to Zero-Sum Game; a reminder that there is also an alternative to that thinking. News correspondent and Wealth Pie; Terry Pratchett and Poverty Is Expensive Boots parable
• 0:28:58    Dacher Keltner's The Power Paradox and useful definitions (derived from trying to do research and get specific): Control = influence over self and immediate environment; Power = Influence over others and larger environment
• 0:31:10 Digression about Alpha Males and debunking that whole concept
• 0:35:05    Sidebar - Diving Reflex - splashing cold water on your face triggers nervous system state-change?
• 0:36:20    The Power Paradox: you are given power (influence over others) when you are kind, trustworthy, and of service; but if you perceive you have power and attempt to use it for control, you can lose trustworthiness and then lose power.
• 0:37:19    Outro Credits

References mentioned in the show

Ibram X Kendi Instagram post about Power and Freedom (7/4/2023)   Definitely click through, because there's more to the post!

Revolutionary Witchcraft by Sara Lyons 📚Revolutionary Witchcraft on Bookshop.org 🎧Revolutionary Witchcraft on Libro.fm 

WNYC On The Media episode:  Blah Blah Blah... BANG (July 20, 2018) 

NPR It’s Been A Minute “Are children a marginalized group?” (6/16/2023)

You’re Wrong About - “Sex Offenders” 08/07/2019
You’re Wrong About podcast “Alpha Males” (August 4, 2018)  

Power to VS Power over (Alicia Garza) 📚The Purpose of Power on Bookshop.org 🎧The Purpose of Power on Libro.fm 

Contrapoints “Justice Part 1” (there's no Part 2 yet) Might Makes Right => The Oppressed will Inherit The Earth => j/k prosperity gospel God Loves Those Who Are On Top.  I’m pretty sure it’s this.  Will have to re-watch to check.

And, Postcolonial Astrology by Alice Sparkly Kat talks about how Enlightenment men (specifically men) appropriated remnants of Greek and Roman Thought and Values, warped them to match their Enlightenment Thought and Values, in order to posthoc validate their beliefs as inherited wisdom rather than contemporary opinion. Find 📚Postcolonial Astrology at Bookshop.org and 🎧Postcolonial Astrology on Libro.fm

Mark Silver and boots metaphor was learned in this workshop: Power and Money training, 2023 iteration. (an annual course)

Tony Dokoupil speaks to Americans to see if they know what their “share of the pie” looks like on CBS Mornings Jan 31, 2020

"The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. ... A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet."

Boots metaphor from Terry Pratchett Men At Arms (1993)

📚Terry Pratchett - Men At Arms on Libro.fm 🎧Terry Pratchett - Men At Arms on Bookshop.org 

Power Coupons (from dead people) - Beau of the Fifth Column in general https://www.youtube.com/@BeauoftheFifthColumn 

Power as influence over others VS Control as influence over self (Dacher Keltner) 📚The Power Paradox on Bookshop.org 🎧The Power Paradox on Libro.fm

Credits

This is Under the Umbra: Using Empathy and Collaboration to Navigate a World of Shadows. In each episode, Electra and the co-hosts explore ways to think about and plan for difficult relationships with people and systems in a way that stays grounded in values and centers community.  I invite you to try out focusing on Empathy and Collaboration as a realistic and compassionate model for interpersonal interactions. If you find yourself Under the Umbra, let’s find our way back to the light.

Find the show's home at Under The Umbra . Info which is HERE! You're here!

Support the show via Patreon.com The show is supported by “Responsive” Patrons: Ellery and KC, as well as several more on the Structured and Unscripted levels! Thank you so much for your support!

This podcast was created, recorded, edited and produced by me, Electra, and brought to you by Bridge to Becoming LLC. Music is by SoulProdMusic on Pixabay and used with permission. Show art is by Lo Carter, 2023. Subtitle crafted by Vera Alcorn!