The Nobody Movement
Robert Fuller concluded Somebodies and Nobodies with The Nobody Manifesto. Since there is now a Nobody Movement afoot, it seems like the time is ripe to reissue the manifesto!
The Nobody Manifesto
Who are the nobodies? Those with less power. At the moment.
Who are the somebodies? Those with more power. At the moment. Power is signified by rank. Rank in a particular setting. Somebodies hold higher rank than nobodies. In that setting. For that moment.
A somebody in one setting can be a nobody in another, and vice versa. A somebody now might be a nobody a moment later, and vice versa.
Abuse of the power inherent in rank is rankism. When somebodies use the power of their position in one setting to exercise power in another, that’s rankism. When somebodies use the power of their position to put a permanent hold on their power, that, too, is rankism.
Dignity is innate, nonnegotiable, and inviolate. No person’s dignity is any less worthy of respect, any less sacred than anyone else’s. Equal dignity requires equal opportunity. Rankism is an indefensible abridgment of the dignity of nobodies, and a stain on the honor of somebodies.
As once and future nobodies, we’re all potential victims of rankism. As would-be somebodies, we’re all potential perpetrators. Securing equal dignity means overcoming rankism.
Who are the nobodies? They are Everyman, Everywoman, Everychild. Each of us in our secret dreams of becoming someone new, something more. The nobodies are us. Therein lies our power.
Nobodies of the world, unite! We have nothing to lose but our shame.
Have you ever seen Fight Club? Your manifesto reads like the plot of that movie! If you have not, (in your terms) it is about a nobody who decides to create a club of nobody’s who like to fight. He turns them into an army, aimed at destroying rank around the world and making everyone the same rank.
Perhaps a bit more rebellious than what you are going for, but I think the movie definitely correlates with what you are trying to achieve.
Comment by Anon — August 10, 2006 @ 11:49 am
Except…Fuller would never regard physical violence as a means of obtaining dignity. He’s all about civility and negotiating for change.
Comment by Elisa — August 10, 2006 @ 11:55 am
I think Mr. Fuller’s Nobodies manifesto is exactly what we need now! With all the shootings of late , the politics of the world and nationally and regionally and locally, wherever local is , most people feel they are nobodies in the system and that’s why governments, relgions , races, political movements as well as others feel they can bully, sexually assault , beat up, condemn,ignore the vulnerable in society.
Oprah Winfrey had a program recently on status and people said that because they were from the upper classes and had more they were more than others . You didn’t see that from the program, the lower status people had more compassion, more class and set standards of behaviour for their children that upper class parents didn’t.
However everyone needs to be treated in a dignified manner no matter who you are , where you come from , how much money you have or don’t have. Maybe if this actually came to fruition in the world there’d be less posturing and war and hatred.
Comment by Liz S — October 9, 2006 @ 9:49 am
Underneath “Rankism” is the biggest lie that has been perpetuated on man for centuries. The lie is known as “the lie of our imperfection.”
Maybe you’ll recall similar recriminations like this from your parents and teachers, “You had better do your schoolwork if you want to be somebody or make something of your life. You don’t want to be a nobody or a good for nothing.”
The hidden message that is overlooked is who are we before we are driven to be a somebody. In order to be loved we reject the true authentic self to be something that we are not. We are constantly shamed to be different from who we are by subjective labels of good & bad. It seems we can never satisfy the need to become a bigger and bigger somebody.
We can see this insanity being played out daily in life where we want others to be different to how they are and they want us to be different from how we are.
There is a penalty that we pay when we take the journey to become a somebody.
I Salute you for exposing these insidous practices.
Comment by Callum No Body — November 13, 2006 @ 8:15 am
Thank You Mr. Fuller for exposing this insidious, invidious, malady plaguing our consciousnesses and other body parts. I came upon your original “Breaking Ranks” website a long time ago and was impressed with your observation of how”the system” works. Now with all the bloggers a’bloggin’ and News Trust, the afficiendos will be hard pressed to keep the keys to clubhouse all to themselves. Thank you again, and it is getting very interesting to get a link to a link to a link that gets you back to Breaking Ranks.
Comment by Kimberly macher — December 14, 2006 @ 8:19 pm