'The book introduces a new conceptual framework for studying social systems that pays particular attention to how a society constructs the roles and relations between the female and male halves of humanity. Jordan Bates, citing Riane Eisler and Terence McKenna Instead of talking about patriarchy and all this, what we should be talking about is dominator versus partnership society.” The great thing that Riane Eisler, in her book The Chalice and the Blade, did for this discussion was to de-genderize the terminology. I think everybody in this room has a far stronger ego than they need.

For Terence McKenna, an American philosopher who praised Eisler’s work, this was an important point: “I don’t see it as a male disease. In essence, any human has the propensity to dominate other humans under certain conditions. ' Though the historical dominators have tended to be male (and more recently, on the global stage, white), Eisler holds that her theory of dominator/partnership cultures is not ideology-, gender-, or race-specific. She proposed the real alternative is a partnership system or Gylany.' 5.3 On the historical evidence since 1987Įisler does not use the term 'patriarchy.' Nor does she use 'matriarchy' to describe a more gender-balanced society, noting rule by fathers (patriarchy) and rule by mothers (matriarchy) can be two sides of a dominator coin.5.2 The Historical Origins of the Dominator Societies.5.1 Gylany, the concept for the partnership system.

Book the chalice and the blade