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If You’re Empowered Do Other People Become Disempowered?
Empowerment is not a zero-sum matter. When you’re empowered nobody becomes disempowered.
One of the most dangerous false narratives in our society today is around what equates to selfishness.
In many respects, nearly every act of self-care, self-focus, and anything else that puts you first is considered selfish. If you don’t give enough time, energy, work, and what-have-you to your family, friends, and community — before self-care — you’re being selfish.
This false narrative is the bedrock of a far larger issue. That issue is the zero-sum approach to the workings of life, the Universe, and everything.
What does zero-sum mean? It’s best defined as this: if there is a winner there is always a loser. If you win, someone loses. Conversely — if they win, you lose.
That extends out to artifices of lack and scarcity. There’s not enough of ‘X’, insufficient ‘Y’, and if you don’t have it you lose.
Worse, if someone else gets that falsely lacking or scarce thing, you will suffer. This has been used in every racist, sexist, gender identity, and similar fight. If “they” get rights, you lose them. If “the other” gets freedoms, yours will be taken.
