The Scientific Portal of Behavior, Body Language and Nonverbal Communication#

Search for

March 28, 2011

Domination

Overpowering, controlling or ruling over others came into existence since known eras of human history. Strategies, tactics, methods and tools evolved to bring others under total control of a single individual or a group of individuals.

Domination gives deliberate capability of controlling, handling and exploiting an individual or a group of individuals being dominated by disregarding, disrespecting and denying its own best interests, capabilities, ambitions, desires and wishes.

In simple words, domination is to make someone realize its smaller size and lack of power to question, challenge, control, overpower, defeat and overthrow the dominator. Indirectly, dominating is about exploiting others to serve, fulfill and satisfy the own best interests, ambitions, desires and wishes of the dominator.

Domination has to do with appearing physically as giant and powerful figure in front of the other(s) i. e. bigger, bulkier, broader, larger, stronger, taller, louder, mightier, fiercer, smarter, aggressive, advanced, authoritative and powerful.

We can watch domination anywhere in daily life, right from one's exhibition as a more powerful individual in front of others to a protest march by a large homogeneous group of shouting people on the main street of a city.

Let’s see few examples of domination that we can observe during interpersonal interactions:

1) Bigger than you: You are sitting inside the cabin of your superior. Your conversation with her spins into an argument. She suddenly gets out of her chair and stands in front of you and starts glaring at your. Unconsciously, she wants to influence your opinions and approach about the subject.

2) Better than you: You find yourself unable to tackle an ongoing condition or issue on your own and you seat helplessly in your chair. Your superior walking alongside you, looks at you. He suddenly rushes, stands behind your back and starts asking questions.

Finally, he jumps into issue and solves it without asking your consent. With a sarcastic smile on his face, your superiors says, “This is the way it is done! I knew it very well.” He might taunt you in front of your colleagues about the same.

3) I’m an in charge: You introducing yourself or you’re being introduced to a person and both of you exercise a formal hand shake. Person on the opposite side turns his palm facing down and silently communicates that he’s going to control and/or want to dictate whatever is going to happen in this association.

4) Keep yourself down: A couple is walking on a street which has commercial shops. When they pass by a jewelry shop, wife stumbles upon a nice diamond necklace. She expresses her wish to buy it but husband denies it by saying, “We can’t afford it!”. He stretches his hand towards her with palm facing downward and stares at her with big eyes.

5) United to defeat: An innocent boy is caught by a group of bullying youngsters. Suddenly their rival group rushes to the spot to help the boy. They cover the boy and silently stand tall in front of the offenders. Within a few seconds, offenders find their way out from the spot.

Extraterrestrial domination is an existential threat.

Related Articles:
1) Social Class 2) Man's Courtship Body Language 3) Secret behind imitation 4) Power Postures

March 20, 2011

Social Class

Survival, growth and reproduction are entirely depend upon the available resources. Variety, quantity and quality of resources are directly linked with an ability to acquire and afford them. Competition, struggle and fight for attaining acquisition capabilities and possessing the resources is an underlying, a silent and a pivotal hierarchical competition held between two or among many individuals, families, clans, groups, communities, ethnicity, countries and even the races of creatures.

Although both cooperation and compromise exist in the world and they are necessities of the society, competition fight over resources is considered as the major driving force of biological evolution, bio-diversity and increased complexity. Climbing the tall ladder or pyramid of resource allocation hierarchy has been the one of the greatest pursuits of the mankind since the time unknown. There're a lot of social, nonverbal and behavioral indicators, messages, emblems, symbols and signs inside the social class structure.

Every position in the ladder is about amount of the power and capabilities one possesses to access, control, extract, acquire, accumulate, secure, process, preserve and consume resources which can be biological, non-biological, natural or artificial. Therefore, individuals, families, groups, clans and communities of higher class work less harder, consume more, spend more, (afford to) waste a plenty, find more time for amusement,(might) stay healthy longer and accumulate more over geographical area(s).

Public display or exhibition of the social status is very common across human societies since ages. There are many different ways, methods and tools available to achieve the same. However, males are naturally motivated to display the higher social status in public with the symbolic cues or hints of their inheritance, belongings, capabilities, achievements and victories. Especially, public display or exhibition of the higher social status by males finding mate(s) or partner(s) is quite obvious in the presence a group of females. Many females reciprocate their interest towards males with higher social status than their own.

Individuals with lower socio-economical status often try to imitate the individuals with higher socio-economical status by buying, owning, exhibiting and displaying low quality and cheap cloths, jewelry, artworks and artifacts which share external appearances with their high quality and costly counterparts. Fashion, food and lifestyle trends in higher class gradually permeates to lower classes. Once a trend no longer stays to limited to higher class, a new one is invented and adapted to convey the socio-economical status separation from lower classes.

Ancient Egyptian Social Pyramid/Hierarchy

Starting right from the clothing to the residential buildings, public display or exhibition of the social status is almost inseparable from living in almost all of the human societies. The dialect or the choice of words, the overall mannerism and the kind of treatment/hospitality given to others is also part of public display or exhibition of the social status. Occupation of space around one's body and placement of one's body in the given social situation also speak loudly about the individual's social status along with its family owned residential buildings.

In case of a family's house, factors like location, neighborhood, size, space, safety, security, amount, availability, affordability, rarity, creativity, variety, quality, quantity, hospitality, privacy and comfort nonverbally convey the socio-economical class of the family. Its size, amount of empty space around it, quality of material used for building and decorating it, amount of fortification, amount of safety and security measures, kind of availed facilities, amount and quality of furniture, amount and quality of upholstery and size of showcase are determinant factors.

Along with the same, types and number of transportation vehicles, kind of food (variety, quantity and quality), amount of food stored/preserved, number of aids and appliances, quality and quantity of clothes, number and quality of footwear, number and quality of body adornments, amount of private space reserved for every member, level of physical comfort, number of accumulated collectible items, number of pets etc. speak very clearly and loudly to others about social status of the individual family.

Competition, struggle and fight for staying on and climbing steps of the food allocation hierarchy or pyramid can be easily observed in the animal kingdom and the world of all creatures too. Various members of the same creature species and various species of creatures strive for fitting or maintaining themselves at a certain position or rank in the long food chain. It's hardwired in male brain to fit in hierarchy and fight for a better position.

Members of higher class always try to control and dominate the members of class below it. Members of the lower classes are structurally, methodologically and institutionally convinced, trained, tailored, educated, prepared, armed, styled, equipped and used by those from higher social status to serve their own best interests. Any higher class hardly makes any sacrifices whereas lower class is convinced and motivated to do the same.

If we closely study the entire human history then we'd realize that Male-dominant (patriarchal) tribes, families, clans, communities, societies, dynasties, deities, gods and religions existing almost all over the world is an outcome of the same hierarchical structure or the pyramid. Female-dominant and egalitarian tribes, families, clans, communities, societies, dynasties, deities, gods are very less in numbers.

However, unlike other creatures, a civilized, educated, technological and industrial human males (and females too) saliently struggle and compete for achieving higher level in more subtle and smart ways to ensure minimal (physical) hard-work, confrontations, clashes, combats, fights and harms. Their struggle includes education, status, economical growth, materialist possession, comfort, aesthetic attributes of their mates and opportunities for their children.

Males (and a few percent of females too) employ their power, energy, intellect and social rapport for gaining higher social status and climbing on economical ladder to seize more opportunities, acquire more resources, attract mates, pair with them, reproduce with them and also retain them.

They provide a wide pool of resources, more physical space, favorable environment, better security, good nutrition, medication, better chances of survival and better prospects to their children. Naturally, children inherit resources, possessions and social class from their own parents.

Ranks, positions, levels, order and chain of command prevail within an individual human family as well. Certain physical spaces, privileges, authorities, rights and decisions are (strictly) reserved to elders or more experienced individuals whereas other (younger) family members have to respect, obey, follow and listen to them.

Challenging, fighting, quarreling and debating with older members of family is considered a unconventional, disrespectful, punishable and nonsensical act. It's highly prevalent in orthodox, conservative, large and joint families (especially those who run businesses, own huge area of land and possess a huge amount of wealth) than the modern, small, liberal, salaried ones.

Other non-confrontational way of getting at a higher position on the social ladder is to gain the kind of skills, aptitudes, knowledge, proficiency, efficiency and expertise which make a great difference in lives of many and solve their problems. Proper education, good guidance, creativity and higher (applied) knowledge generate practical inventions, innovations, ideas, tools, machines, products, formulae, methods and processes.

They help many of us in achieving higher social status, success, fame, popularity, fortune and prosperity with a far greater efficiency and speed in comparison to (physical) hard-work, confrontation, competition, clashes, combats and fights. Additionally, modern technology, transportation, tools and machinery have made it very easy for us than our ancestors.

Basically, Explorations, Expeditions, Invasions, Conquests, (Geo-)Political Movements, Colonization, Racism, Chauvinism, Hegemony, Supremacy, Slavery, (Territorial) Domination, Migration and Technological Advancement have been originated from the necessity of finding, acquiring, possessing or claiming over (new, rare and more) resources.

Source: https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d774e77417a4d32457a6333566d54/index.html

Especially, where climate is very harsh, land is less fertile and resources are very less, very few in numbers, highly perishable, hard to access and their availability is uncertain; resulting competition over resources is extremely brutal. Members of local communities fight and compete really hard to acquire them from local environment. They strictly control, preserve, protect and guard them with vigilance.

The fear of extinction due to hostile environment, resource scarcity and inevitable fierce competition is deeply seated in the mind of the local people. The resulting insecurity lurks not just in their behaviors but also in their world-view, literature, ideologies, traditions, folktales, legends, rituals, songs, ideas and art. It unmistakably influence the organizational, heirarchial, metaphyscial and correctional frameworks.

In such environments, peacefully maintaining a large amount of population and support its further proliferation is next to impossible. Therefore, most of the people are systematically preached that 'Earthly living is full of sufferings only and Life is far better after death' through cunningly developed religious ideology. Indirectly, it allows the 'heavenly chosen' individuals to enjoy abundance.

To align perfectly with the best interests of the higher class and especially the 'heavenly chosen' individuals, a control mechanism is devised which silences the questioners to maintain authority and punishes rebels. Strict tribal rules permeate to every depth of behavioral control of mass population in which power is exercised through fear of instant and harsher punishments.

The religions founded in the resource deprived environments hardly tolerate disobedience of 'heavenly instructions' that are actually drafted by cleverest human individuals only. They are symbolically, systematically and methodologically hard-coded inside the mind on mass population over generations. Also, most of the martyrs belong to lower socio-economical classes only.

On the basis of some fictional justifications and the so-called 'divine indications' or 'heavenly instructions', the well-crafted, fanatic and imperialistically 'spiritual' ideology tries to unite the followers. Millions of brain-washed, motivated, clueless, gullible, poor and naïve fighters give-up their lives to secure the best interests of a few individuals.

Supremacist Ideology = Resource Acquisition Plan

A strategically invented and smartly perfected geo-political ideology can boldly claim that only a certain group of followers are supreme and that's why they deserve to rule the entire globe. Such religion is based on the same ideology with the sole purpose of global domination by constantly maintaining a massive deception of originality, benignness and brilliance.

Actually, it can perfectly hide the grandest masterplan of acquiring resources from foreign lands behind a shining mask of equality, salvation, heavenly rewards or liberation from Earthly pain. It's all about subjugating and/or indirectly terrorizing the entire global population to surrender themselves and their possessions or achievements to 'rightful rulers'.

Under the cunningly maintained cover of brotherhood and equality, most members from lower classes of same group can be repeatedly preached by ideological scholars to 'sacrifice everything' for divine salvation and heavenly rewards. It's the most tantalizing mental trap created for the poor, naïve, clueless, deprived and unquestioning followers.

Also, there's no surprise that the members of lower socio-economical classses are encouraged to fight with the followers of other ideologies and if necessary - sacrifice themselves in an 'eternal holy war'. In reality, their 'religious sacrifice' automatically transfers the acquired resources to the members of higher socio-economical classes.

Although they're utterly illogical, vivid, colorful, alluring and graphical descriptions of paradise and its pleasures overwhelm the poor, naïve, clueless, deprived and unquestioning people which compels them to surrender their thinking and reasoning ability and only follow the instructions to 'enter into paradise'.

Fortunately, millions of well-educated, knowledge seeking and thinking people are continuously bombarding serious questions on authoritative religious figures and preachers of supremacist ideologies, most of whom don't at all bother about existential crisis, planet Earth, sustainability and humanity.

Mars Colonization: Red, Cold and Dusty Dream?

Supremacist religious ideologies have nothing to do with them in the first place. It's all about claiming supremacy over all others without any logical or natural reasons and with the pragmatic strategy of subjugating or dominating others only to acquire, control and enjoy the resources, possessions and achievements. No other animal than human being on this planet has done it ever before.

Exactly opposite to natural competition, ongoing geo-political cold-wars among radical, extremist and reductionistic ideologies are intensifying the rivalry over remaining Earthly resources. Along with rapidly changing global climate, growing social unrest is strongly connected with degrading, polluting and depleting resources.

Additionally, rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems is likely to create a new global hierarchy and social structures. At present, huge AI data centers are already consuming a large amount of fresh, potable or drinking water for cooling purpose during rapidly changing climate and natural raining patterns.

Visionaries, scientists, predictors and thinkers have been warning us about the exact same situation since many decades or centuries. Hence, we've chosen to find Earth-like habitable and resource-rich planets. Recently, we've ventured out in the space for the same and 'extraterrestrial competition' has already begun.

Related Articles:
1) Man's Courtship Body Language 2) Domination 3) Cabin of Chief 4) Are you Jealous (of me)?

March 14, 2011

Cabin of Chief

The Great King Shivaji
Gone are the days when knights, kings, queens, emperors and empresses used to rule over their provinces, territories, kingdoms and empires from their forts, citadels and castles, just a few centuries ago. Tribal chiefs and leaders used to control, govern and guide their subjects or civilians in the prehistoric time in the exact same ways.

They all used to occupy a physical space inside court or durbar (Persian word for courtroom) that was slightly elevated above the ground and surrounded by enclosures or guarded by armed soldiers. Without adequate and well-equipped security around them, thrones were easy targets due to their particular position inside court or durbar.

They used to seat on specially crafted, decorated and adorned thrones or chairs exhibiting their sovereignty, superiority, competency, fertility, potency, prowess and rich ancestral inheritance. Thrones or chairs and protected areas surrounding them were like the sanctuaries in which only a single individual can enter, stay and watch over the all others.

Today’s organizations, enterprises, trade houses, industries or institutions are more or less like ancient territorial kingdoms that are founded on certain set of principles, ambitions and goals. They start small but expand to a large no. of clients and operate on a vast geographical areas beyond boundaries. Modern chiefs, bosses, executives and managers have turned throne and its surroundings into miniaturized form like personal cabins or offices.

Anyone can easily find the great difference between their cabins and the rest of the employees occupying the same workplaces. You would hardly find any personal cabin or office close to entrance or gathering point to make it hard to access for others and avoid easy intrusion or trespassing. Their cabins are exactly like the protected, surrounded or well guarded thrones from the historical and ancient era.

Today’s personal cabins or offices are guarded by peons or armed personals at their entrances. On single floor workplace, chief’s cabin or office often stands in the center or at the edge. If workplace occupies multi-stored building or multiple adjacent buildings, special care is taken to erect personal cabin or office with special security, facilities and amenities on topmost floors or in an isolated building.

The most important things observable in chief’s cabin or office is a clock hanging on wall or kept on table, visible to all. Obviously, clock reminds other the timeliness and to honor precious time being spent by the chief. Mostly, rectangular table is kept to create a secure space between chief and other individuals.

Various objects like pen stands, file racks, flags, emblems, miniatures, motifs, mascots, statues, flower pots, table lamps, diaries, computers, laptops and telephones or cell-phones kept on the table to mark territorial boundary of chief hence intrusion and utilization of it by other is strictly prohibited. Only personal assistants, officials of equal or higher ranks are allowed to enter and utilize this territory by formal or informal permission of chief.

Windows are left into the surrounding walls to mimic an enlarged physical space, facilitate more natural illumination and allow looking outside. Curtains made up of rich fabric are installed on windows. Walls are adorned by precious gifts, antiquates, masks, vintage artifacts, crafts and paintings to exhibit the status.

The revolving globe or a large world map signifies the expanse of vision and ambition. Certificates, medals, trophies, testimonies and photographs with individuals silently show off accreditation, excellence, competencies, achievements and capabilities. They establish and enforce the status.

Photographs depicting chief along with other pioneers, dignitaries, celebrities and high ranking personals are also kept to convey strong rapport. Often, books are kept in shelf to demonstrate eligibility and access to knowledge and are used for quick reference whenever required. Costly furniture brings the an overall effect of majestic surrounding.

The chair handpicked for the chief is taller, bigger, more comfortable and pricey compared to sitting arrangement made for others. Chair with rotary axle, push-back, elevated back support and head cushion help chief to appear as strong, secured, relax, focused and confident.

The chair is placed facing its back towards fixed partition or wall to add security same way thrones were kept inside court or durbar. Often, sitting arrangement for other faces its back to door of cabin or office so that they could made their exit quickly and easily.

Other individuals are usually allowed sitting on ordinary benches and chairs with smaller resting surfaces, low in height, fixed backs and stationary axle to put them on the edge of comfort, coziness and confidence level, ultimately to neutralize their defensiveness.

Other individuals greet, engage in hand-shakes, offer or receive gifts, discuss and give presentations by sitting or standing at one side of the table. Only in inevitable or special situations, personal space of chief is invaded around the table.

Oval Office of the president of the United States of America

In many cabins or offices, a sofa is kept on which chief can seat with officials of an equal or higher rankings, parties, consultants, invited guests or field experts and openly discuss or share view points and establish trust.

Glass panels are installed to allow watching entire workspace and the people working and moving outside. Often glasses are tinted dark, allowed boss to look outside but not allowing others to know what's happening inside.

There can be some exceptions to or variations in modern cabins or offices, depending upon type of gender of the boss, geography, industry, organization, working conditions, work culture etc.

Related Articles:
1) Domination 2) Proxemics 3) Shivaji Maharaj: Superior in Nonverbal Communication