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[ptc24]

Poll #4686 Equality and Hierarchy

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 19

View Respondents

A has authority over B. Can C interact with both A and B as equals?

View Answers

yes
7 (36.8%)

no
0 (0.0%)

sort of
1 (5.3%)

maybe
5 (26.3%)

under some circumstances
13 (68.4%)

other (please comment)
0 (0.0%)

I have some nifty maths about (in)equality which I will explain in a comment
0 (0.0%)

lowercase tickybox
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[vyvyan.livejournal.com]

I think in part it will depend on whether C is part of, or close to, the hierarchy in which A has authority over B. For example, if B is A's secretary, and C is a visiting client, it would probably be hard for C to interact with A and B as equals during the visit (and possibly after it as well). But if C is a tourist who meets A and B in a nearby bar after work, there would presumably be little difficulty in C interacting with them as equals, because their local power differential will be meaningless to C.

[jack]

That's what I thought.

[seryn]

If C is a super-authority over A and B, chances are pretty good that the relative parity of A and B is irrelevant. This also works if C is far under both A and B in a hierarchy. If A is the CEO of a multinational corporation and B is the deputy VP over domestic products and C is the high school intern working in the mail room... then the appropriate response from C to either A or B is "Yes, sir!" [* modified by gender if required]

Also if C knows A and B in a different context entirely. An example: My boss and I shop at the same supermarket, I have no expectations that my boss is treated differently by the cashiers.