Purpose and goal of the website
"The penalty good people pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by people worse than themselves." Plato, Greek philosopher and mathematician (424-348 BCE)
Whenever a person enters into a position of power in the economic or political structures of modern patriarchal society, he or she seems to willingly take on the master role and its dominative attributes. The inherent rule in Patriarchy is that its leaders are masculine, rational, controlling, and promoting the eternal economic growth agenda. Economic development programs are implemented, with only little concern for society and nature, by force if necessary. In a patriarchal worldview such behavior is respected, or more correctly, it is feared, and by many perceived as being superior. The leaders' excessive masculine yang energy manifests in the introduction of ever more dominant economic activities and political institutions. These will only reinforce subordination of the yin force, manifested as society and nature. Eventually this approach results in various complex interrelated social and environmental crises.
"Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone." John Maynard Keynes, British economist (1883-1946)
This masculine behavior has become dogmatic and habitual, but many citizens do not support it. They would prefer a friendlier, more cooperative and inclusive, less dominant and controlling approach, than the one currently presented by political leaders. Moreover, these people find that limiting economic growth is necessary in order to preserve nature for the benefit of their own generation and that of their grandchildren. They also consider it civilized to redistribute economic benefits in society, ensuring that everybody is fed, clothed, and housed, and that all are enjoying adequate health and educational services. Rather than focusing purely on increasing financial capital, these people find it important to prioritize increasing our natural and social capital. They believe as well that people from different cultures and backgrounds need to talk together, and get to know each other, which will lead to a better understanding of differing perceptions and values. Such insights can help diverse cultures and peoples to coexist peacefully, avoiding violence and war.
These people are in balance. They do not harm children, fellow human beings, animals, or themselves. They want to contribute to, and most of them are already working towards, kinder relationships, where people cooperate and care about society and nature. They want to protect their family, their community, the forests, lakes, oceans, and mountains, and all of our plant and animal life. The common sense of these people tells them that everybody has a right to enjoy a quality of life chosen by themselves. It is the wisdom of these people – who come from all walks of life – that has the potential to transform the current unbalanced masculine yang energy into a balanced yin yang state. They know that something is terribly wrong in our world, and they want to change that wrong into something that feels right.
These people have a balanced approach in their perception of reality. However, some may lack relevant information to assist them making sense of exactly where and how things go wrong. Such relevant information may help people make things right. When these people gain adequate insight and understand how Patriarchy and its economic and political structures work, they will, with their balanced way of thinking and acting, be able to resist patriarchal domination, present appropriate criticism, and demand changes. These balanced people will be the trendsetters and role models for those who lack balance. They will add yin energy, and by that help create a dynamic tension between yin and yang, leading to balance, and a harmonious world.
"Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Lord Acton, English baron and historian (1834-1902)
The purpose of the Intsangano educational website is to create an "information-bank" where balanced people, from all walks of life, can educate themselves and understand essential elements of our current dominant economic structures and political institutions. Intsangano is meant as a community, where everybody can find fair, clear, explanatory, easily readable, and relevant educational information. Only when we understand how Patriarchy functions can we untie its complicated web, which keeps us subordinate, and suggest non-dominative alternatives. According to philosopher and feminist Marilyn Frye, patriarchal structures function like a birdcage: it is not the individual steel bar that retains the bird in the cage; but when all the bars are connected, it becomes a network, which imprisons the bird in the cage. Thus, we need to understand the various elements of the dominative economic and political structure – each steel bar – that keeps society and nature subordinate and crises prone. Hence, we need to grasp the functioning of the economic and political institutions Patriarchy has built, in order for the elite to stay in a position of absolute power over society and nature. With such insight, we will succeed in ending Patriarchy and creating a quality of life for society and nature worldwide.
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
Helen Keller, American deaf-blind author, political activist, and lecturer (1880-1968)
Nobody knows everything, but many people have deep knowledge about some aspects of the dominative economic structures and political institutions. These people can use Intsangano educational website to share their knowledge. With easily understandable explanations, they can teach the rest of us. For example, a person with training in global financial management had to study hundreds of books and articles to understand the complex elements of the international banking system. He or she can post a summary of that knowledge here, so that we, by reading for some hours, can learn the essence of how banks and the financial structures work and grasp the ways in which the system dominates us. Therefore, the Intsangano educational website is also a "platform" for those who are willing to share and publish their knowledge. If we all contribute with our knowledge and share in the knowledge of others, we will eventually understand the various, complex, dominative structures that keep us caged. That knowledge will help us suggest balanced alternatives. Hence, we also need to learn from people who have creative visions of a post-patriarchal future – a world without domination.
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions." Albert Einstein
The information on the Intsangano educational website is accordingly meant to cover two purposes: first, to inform and explain the limitations of the modern, reductionist patriarchal worldview, and show how its economic structures and political institutions dominate societies and exploit nature, causing our global crises; second, to imagine and suggest alternative, holistic worldviews and structures, which can end domination and resolve the horrible crises our societies and nature are facing.
Intsangano educational website is consequently a forum where we learn from each other and teach each other, with the purpose of ending patriarchal domination and creating a balanced, non-dominative world, where society and nature can have a quality of life.
Intsangano is not a discussion forum. Although places for discussing issues are valuable, Intsangano does not have the capacity to include this service. Intsangano is a forum that gathers articles and subject papers for the purpose of education and information. It may be articles written to Intsangano specifically, or it may be links to already existing educational papers placed elsewhere in the internet, which are free for all to read. The reader can then use the information to discuss elsewhere – hopefully as a means to add more feminine yin energy, and by that create a better yin yang balance and change the masculine yang minds of our politicians. However, general comments, feed-backs, and questions are welcome in the Intsangano blog.
As a start, the initiator of this website has written and uploaded four core articles, which explain patriarchal domination and how its reductionist and dualized worldview has defined modern science, economics, and technology. It explains how these perceptions, values, institutions, and structures dominate society and exploit nature, leading to global crises. The articles also present holistic and balanced alternatives, based on the yin yang ideal. The four core articles are a small beginning; hopefully many people, from all walks of life, will contribute, by sharing their knowledge and experience for the benefit of the Intsangano community.
"It is possible to present passionately held beliefs, in a manner that weighs evidence, considers alternatives, and makes assertions as hypotheses, rather than dogma. The strongest belief statements usually have this quality of modesty, which immeasurably strengthens their plausibility."
Robert L. Heilbroner, American economist and author (1919-2005)
There are many issues that need clarification and explanation in the complex economic and political structures of the patriarchal world. Thus, there is a preliminary, general list with suggestions for articles, which would be valuable for someone to write about or to find on the internet and then forward for uploading. Anyone who can make a clear, educative, balanced, and honest contribution on any one of these or other relevant subjects - please do - and send the article/subject paper to the Intsangano website administrator. You can see here how to Contact the website administrator. Whenever anybody comes across relevant articles or subject papers elsewhere on the internet, please send an email and inform the Intsangano website administrator so that Intsangano website can share the link.
Readers may want explanations to some specific questions they have, or clarifications about some structures they do not understand. Please send your suggestions for possible subjects that need to be covered in this website to the Intsangano website administrator or mention it in the Intsangano blog. They will then be added to the list of suggestions for articles and subject papers.
When somebody covers a subject with an article or a link, others are still welcome to cover the same subject in their own unique way or find more links with alternative explanations. In this way, we make sure to present diverse perceptions of reality, since people perceive, think, and feel differently. Therefore, all balanced inputs are welcome. However, it is essential that papers and links are relating to honest and truthful information, with the purpose to educate and enlighten people, in the spirit of Robert Heilbroner's above statement.
Consequently, people from all over the world, are hereby invited to read the material that is presented in the Intsangano educational website. Those who would like to contribute in any way, are warmly encouraged to supply written materials and links, which will be uploaded for all to read and learn from. Those who wish to contribute please read directions for submitting written contributions.
As mentioned, in order to create a dynamic tension between yin and yang we need to add a healthy amount of yin energy to our unbalanced yang world. The Intsangano website is meant to add such yin energy. Therefore, the feminine yin energy must be part of everything that is written here; hence, all contributors are urged to follow some practical ethical, yin, guidelines. They can be found in ethics of the website.
Consecutive reading: go to Suggestions for articles.
You are on the page Purpose and goal under the menu headline About Intsangano.
"The penalty good people pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by people worse than themselves." Plato, Greek philosopher and mathematician (424-348 BCE)
Whenever a person enters into a position of power in the economic or political structures of modern patriarchal society, he or she seems to willingly take on the master role and its dominative attributes. The inherent rule in Patriarchy is that its leaders are masculine, rational, controlling, and promoting the eternal economic growth agenda. Economic development programs are implemented, with only little concern for society and nature, by force if necessary. In a patriarchal worldview such behavior is respected, or more correctly, it is feared, and by many perceived as being superior. The leaders' excessive masculine yang energy manifests in the introduction of ever more dominant economic activities and political institutions. These will only reinforce subordination of the yin force, manifested as society and nature. Eventually this approach results in various complex interrelated social and environmental crises.
"Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone." John Maynard Keynes, British economist (1883-1946)
This masculine behavior has become dogmatic and habitual, but many citizens do not support it. They would prefer a friendlier, more cooperative and inclusive, less dominant and controlling approach, than the one currently presented by political leaders. Moreover, these people find that limiting economic growth is necessary in order to preserve nature for the benefit of their own generation and that of their grandchildren. They also consider it civilized to redistribute economic benefits in society, ensuring that everybody is fed, clothed, and housed, and that all are enjoying adequate health and educational services. Rather than focusing purely on increasing financial capital, these people find it important to prioritize increasing our natural and social capital. They believe as well that people from different cultures and backgrounds need to talk together, and get to know each other, which will lead to a better understanding of differing perceptions and values. Such insights can help diverse cultures and peoples to coexist peacefully, avoiding violence and war.
These people are in balance. They do not harm children, fellow human beings, animals, or themselves. They want to contribute to, and most of them are already working towards, kinder relationships, where people cooperate and care about society and nature. They want to protect their family, their community, the forests, lakes, oceans, and mountains, and all of our plant and animal life. The common sense of these people tells them that everybody has a right to enjoy a quality of life chosen by themselves. It is the wisdom of these people – who come from all walks of life – that has the potential to transform the current unbalanced masculine yang energy into a balanced yin yang state. They know that something is terribly wrong in our world, and they want to change that wrong into something that feels right.
These people have a balanced approach in their perception of reality. However, some may lack relevant information to assist them making sense of exactly where and how things go wrong. Such relevant information may help people make things right. When these people gain adequate insight and understand how Patriarchy and its economic and political structures work, they will, with their balanced way of thinking and acting, be able to resist patriarchal domination, present appropriate criticism, and demand changes. These balanced people will be the trendsetters and role models for those who lack balance. They will add yin energy, and by that help create a dynamic tension between yin and yang, leading to balance, and a harmonious world.
"Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Lord Acton, English baron and historian (1834-1902)
The purpose of the Intsangano educational website is to create an "information-bank" where balanced people, from all walks of life, can educate themselves and understand essential elements of our current dominant economic structures and political institutions. Intsangano is meant as a community, where everybody can find fair, clear, explanatory, easily readable, and relevant educational information. Only when we understand how Patriarchy functions can we untie its complicated web, which keeps us subordinate, and suggest non-dominative alternatives. According to philosopher and feminist Marilyn Frye, patriarchal structures function like a birdcage: it is not the individual steel bar that retains the bird in the cage; but when all the bars are connected, it becomes a network, which imprisons the bird in the cage. Thus, we need to understand the various elements of the dominative economic and political structure – each steel bar – that keeps society and nature subordinate and crises prone. Hence, we need to grasp the functioning of the economic and political institutions Patriarchy has built, in order for the elite to stay in a position of absolute power over society and nature. With such insight, we will succeed in ending Patriarchy and creating a quality of life for society and nature worldwide.
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
Helen Keller, American deaf-blind author, political activist, and lecturer (1880-1968)
Nobody knows everything, but many people have deep knowledge about some aspects of the dominative economic structures and political institutions. These people can use Intsangano educational website to share their knowledge. With easily understandable explanations, they can teach the rest of us. For example, a person with training in global financial management had to study hundreds of books and articles to understand the complex elements of the international banking system. He or she can post a summary of that knowledge here, so that we, by reading for some hours, can learn the essence of how banks and the financial structures work and grasp the ways in which the system dominates us. Therefore, the Intsangano educational website is also a "platform" for those who are willing to share and publish their knowledge. If we all contribute with our knowledge and share in the knowledge of others, we will eventually understand the various, complex, dominative structures that keep us caged. That knowledge will help us suggest balanced alternatives. Hence, we also need to learn from people who have creative visions of a post-patriarchal future – a world without domination.
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions." Albert Einstein
The information on the Intsangano educational website is accordingly meant to cover two purposes: first, to inform and explain the limitations of the modern, reductionist patriarchal worldview, and show how its economic structures and political institutions dominate societies and exploit nature, causing our global crises; second, to imagine and suggest alternative, holistic worldviews and structures, which can end domination and resolve the horrible crises our societies and nature are facing.
Intsangano educational website is consequently a forum where we learn from each other and teach each other, with the purpose of ending patriarchal domination and creating a balanced, non-dominative world, where society and nature can have a quality of life.
Intsangano is not a discussion forum. Although places for discussing issues are valuable, Intsangano does not have the capacity to include this service. Intsangano is a forum that gathers articles and subject papers for the purpose of education and information. It may be articles written to Intsangano specifically, or it may be links to already existing educational papers placed elsewhere in the internet, which are free for all to read. The reader can then use the information to discuss elsewhere – hopefully as a means to add more feminine yin energy, and by that create a better yin yang balance and change the masculine yang minds of our politicians. However, general comments, feed-backs, and questions are welcome in the Intsangano blog.
As a start, the initiator of this website has written and uploaded four core articles, which explain patriarchal domination and how its reductionist and dualized worldview has defined modern science, economics, and technology. It explains how these perceptions, values, institutions, and structures dominate society and exploit nature, leading to global crises. The articles also present holistic and balanced alternatives, based on the yin yang ideal. The four core articles are a small beginning; hopefully many people, from all walks of life, will contribute, by sharing their knowledge and experience for the benefit of the Intsangano community.
"It is possible to present passionately held beliefs, in a manner that weighs evidence, considers alternatives, and makes assertions as hypotheses, rather than dogma. The strongest belief statements usually have this quality of modesty, which immeasurably strengthens their plausibility."
Robert L. Heilbroner, American economist and author (1919-2005)
There are many issues that need clarification and explanation in the complex economic and political structures of the patriarchal world. Thus, there is a preliminary, general list with suggestions for articles, which would be valuable for someone to write about or to find on the internet and then forward for uploading. Anyone who can make a clear, educative, balanced, and honest contribution on any one of these or other relevant subjects - please do - and send the article/subject paper to the Intsangano website administrator. You can see here how to Contact the website administrator. Whenever anybody comes across relevant articles or subject papers elsewhere on the internet, please send an email and inform the Intsangano website administrator so that Intsangano website can share the link.
Readers may want explanations to some specific questions they have, or clarifications about some structures they do not understand. Please send your suggestions for possible subjects that need to be covered in this website to the Intsangano website administrator or mention it in the Intsangano blog. They will then be added to the list of suggestions for articles and subject papers.
When somebody covers a subject with an article or a link, others are still welcome to cover the same subject in their own unique way or find more links with alternative explanations. In this way, we make sure to present diverse perceptions of reality, since people perceive, think, and feel differently. Therefore, all balanced inputs are welcome. However, it is essential that papers and links are relating to honest and truthful information, with the purpose to educate and enlighten people, in the spirit of Robert Heilbroner's above statement.
Consequently, people from all over the world, are hereby invited to read the material that is presented in the Intsangano educational website. Those who would like to contribute in any way, are warmly encouraged to supply written materials and links, which will be uploaded for all to read and learn from. Those who wish to contribute please read directions for submitting written contributions.
As mentioned, in order to create a dynamic tension between yin and yang we need to add a healthy amount of yin energy to our unbalanced yang world. The Intsangano website is meant to add such yin energy. Therefore, the feminine yin energy must be part of everything that is written here; hence, all contributors are urged to follow some practical ethical, yin, guidelines. They can be found in ethics of the website.
Consecutive reading: go to Suggestions for articles.
You are on the page Purpose and goal under the menu headline About Intsangano.
