A formula for authoritarianism

You have to think you are better, smarter and more capable than anyone else. The strong man. 

Or, only you can do this.

Or, you want it your way, and screw everyone else.

You have to love dominating power.

You need to be in control. And you like being right.

I like to feel I am in control. I like to be right. I claim these likes, not because I want to be an authoritarian. But because I know, if I leave myself unchecked, I am one little atrocity away from becoming one.

The seed generator of authoritarianism is the thought that we are superior to another. I have felt this as well. 

Only I can do this. Oh my, how we have built a world on this thought. The hero. The solopreneur. Such a load of BS. You cannot open a can of tomatoes without the input of thousands of people. 

The polarity of superiority is humility. To know the feel of the soil, the compost, the humus, the dirt, between your fingers. That we are all but one breath away from becoming compost. To be broken so thoroughly and brought to our knees that we can only gasp at our insignificance. Everyone of us needs some quality time on our knees, painful though it is. When we live a life without being brought to our knees, we remain obnoxious and separate from humanity.

The polarity of righteousness is curiosity. Never completely right, always curious and open. Curiosity destroys fundamentalism.

A healthy steward leader does not fear leading, making the hard decisions, saying NO, and YES. At the same time, they get their hands dirty with the soil; they bow in humility to others’ wisdom; they remain endlessly curious. They recognise their capacity is only as good as the wisdom and integrity of the people around them, and the ability for the people around them to speak truth to power. They insist on returning, again and again, to a place of insignificance, so they do not forget.

In part, we have the rise of authoritarianism because we have failed to confront the polarity of dominating power within us. 

To be restored to humanity is to know both our power to choose and not dominate, and our desire to remain humble.

The journey through confrontation to creation https://syntropic.world/the-journey-through-confrontation-to-creation/

Little Atrocities https://syntropic.world/little-atrocities-the-path-from-integrity-to-self-deception-and-bad-business/

Published September 8th 2026. Photo taken September 8th 2026