Are we doing what we’re told
Or buying what we’re sold?
Are we all agentic and resigned
To accept that we’re confined?
Why do we trust our overlords
Who disregard the needs of hoards?
Why do we believe the lie that we are free
When we still have liability?
Why to this will do we bend
buying into the hype and trend?
Who pulls upon the puppet strings
Calling lines from the wings?
Follow the money if you dare
But there are no surprises there.
Big pharma, big tech, big business deals
Telling you what appeals
Defining you, creating ‘culture’ and Quo
telling you what you know
And if you dare to question or resist
a bigot be you, don’t desist!
Marketing that tries to decieve
Sells you ‘science’ you must believe
Medicine and sex demands consent
There’s no place for dissent
An illusion of autonomy and choice
Ensuring that you have no voice.
Who pulls the strings to Sold-iers make us,
Controlling so there is no fuss?
Buy this shiny thing you crave,
you become the willing slave,
And in the state of ‘release’
You are told ‘War is Peace”
Your ignorance keeps them strong
They’ll tell you what you think is wrong
Welcome to the Patriarchal Dam
The greatest pyramid scam
Wealth held back by a few
to ‘trickle down’ to me and you.
Let us rise up and break the wall
releasing ‘the wealth’ to all
Initially it will feel like disaster
But it will lead to a better after
For communities will rise, as they do
When unsupported by ‘the few’
And as they gather around
Sensible solutions are found
In circle, problems are solved with discussion
No need for war or violent repercussion
Together, as one, but diverse in need
This is where Matriarchies seed
And if we nurture this and let it grow,
There is no place for patriarchy to go
This poem is the result of my processing patriarchal system compared to matriarchal systems. It’s been a big year for patriarchy with Matel’s billion dollar advert seemingly challenging patriarchy. It has sparked some mainstream awareness, but many also seem to think that matriarchy is on opposite of patriarchy…that Barbie Land was a matriarchy. But It was more of ‘utopian’ patriarchy. It was offered as a feminist movie, but was it 1950s second wave, or third wave…there was an essence of fourth wave in there….and they highlighted that maternal feminism was still “don’t look”. Then they sold us ‘weird barbie’ and any serious attempt at a feminist movie was lost to capitalism and FeminismTM. A disco of teens rock out to the Ken song. At the end of the day, it was a fun movie with some great merch. And it seems Ken is the winner. And all good patriarchy must have a winner. Patriarchy Ken (with the coat) is being sold for the same cost as the barbie car, and is 2 -3 times more ‘valuable’ than the other movie-barbies. Interesting it is all sold out. illusion of scarcity?
I have been listening to a very interesting podcast called ‘Subject to Power‘, which interviews researchers in this area. I find I use rhyming couplets to process ideas, and when I can do that I feel I have understood it. If I am stuck in a poem, I know I have more work to do.
BUT even when a poem is done…new information may challenge it, so I welcome discussion.