Dominator Culture

A model of culture and human relations based on hierarchy, ranking, power, and control. Masculinity is equated with control, conquest, and violence: men dominating women and children.

Opposite to Partnership Culture.

In a domination system...

Humans are flawed and dangerous.

Difference is equated with superiority or inferiority.

Power is used to control and destroy through hierarchies of domination.

Competition means "dog eat dog"; "every man for himself".

People cooperate to dominate others.

Huge gaps between haves and have-nots

Nature is a resource to be dominated, depleted and polluted.

Morality of insensitivity, control, and coercion.

(Based on the Center for Partnership Studies' summary of points from Riane Eisler's _The Power of Partnership_ and David Korten's _The Great Turning_)
Dominator culture teaches all of us that the core of our identity is defined by the will to dominate and control others. We are taught that this will to dominate is more biologically hardwired in males than in females. In actuality, dominator culture teaches us that we are all natural-born killers but that males are more able to realize the predator role. In the dominator model the pursuit of external power, the ability to manipulate and control others, is what matters most. When culture is based on a dominator model, not only will it be violent but it will frame all relationships as power struggles.
(bell hooks)
by Grinning Cat March 28, 2013
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pence

(v.) to avoid answering a question, as exemplified by Indiana Governor Mike Pence in his interview on "This Week" on March 29, 2015, about the broad "religious freedom" bill he signed.
Examples of pencing:

George Stephanopoulos: "Yes or no: If a florist in Indiana refuses to serve a gay couple at their wedding, is that legal now in Indiana?"
Mike Pence: "George, this is where this debate has gone."

"Is that true or not?"
"George, look, the issue here is that, y'know..."

"Yes or no: should it be legal to discriminate against gays and lesbians?"
"George, you're following the mantra of the last week online, and you're trying to make the issue about something else."
by Grinning Cat April 01, 2015
mugGet the pencemug.

ain't

am not, are not, is not; have not, has not; do not, does not, did not.
"Ain't" ain't a word 'cause "ain't" ain't in the dictionary.
by Grinning Cat January 08, 2013
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eye-literate

How you might feel when you want to use a word in conversation that you're familiar with in reading and writing, you know perfectly well what it means, but you've never heard it spoken, and have no idea how to pronounce it.
"It doesn't matter how many times you click on Font Color. Changing red text to red again won't make a difference. It's eye-dem-... id-em-..." (thinking, "How the *$%^& do you pronounce 'idempotent'??? Guess that makes me eye-literate.")
by Grinning Cat November 04, 2016
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snail

(from snail mail)

(v.) to send (a letter, card, or package) via physical mail; to mail or post (a tangible object) using a postal service. Bills and junk mail are perhaps the most common items snailed, but people snail personal letters and items as well.
I snailed my aunt a CD of Richard Clayderman, her favorite pianist.
by Grinning Cat December 27, 2010
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congresscritter

A congresswoman or congressman: an elected official who serves in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the United States Congress. "Congresscritters" can also, loosely, include U.S. Senators. The term is gender-neutral, and also attempts to remove these elected representatives from their pedestals.
"Writing to your congresscritters about an issue may seem pointless, but when enough people -- you and your friends and their friends and THEIR friends -- make their voices heard, the congresscritters will realize that their chances of reelection ARE affected by doing the right thing."
by Grinning Cat January 05, 2009
mugGet the congresscrittermug.

serial monogamy

The custom or practice of having one mate at a time. Each relationship may be serious and committed, or not. The term is used in contrast with strict "monogamy", which can imply just one partner over a lifetime.

Not to be confused with cereal monogamy.
People who remarry (and who have exclusive relationships, and who don't cheat) are practicing serial monogamy.
by Grinning Cat January 19, 2015
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