Hierarchy
Do Men Require It To Thrive?
From the Washington Standard Work, Installation Ceremony:
“…such is the nature of our constitutions, that as some must, of necessity, teach and rule, so others must, of course, learn and obey. Humility in both is an essential duty.”
Most if not virtually all of our institutions are the same way. Unless we have a tremendously unique occupation we are all taking orders from someone. Boss, clients, or otherwise.
Even the United States Military, the most fearsome fighting force in the history of the world takes its orders from civilians.
Recognizing this brings what I think is an interesting question to mind:
Do men need hierarchy if they are to truly thrive and lead successful lives?
And if so, how does that balance with our human drive for freedom?
Virtually everyone, going through life, agrees to submit to higher authority in order to make the money essential to life in our society.
But we as Freemasons have taken this a step further. We’ve knelt at an altar of God and pledged to submit to the judgement and rules of our collective Brothers.
We’ve voluntarily given up a measure of freedom, not for reasons of material gain.
Do we do that, because it is essential for us to thrive?
How do we benefit from voluntarily giving up this measure of freedom?
Is this in essence mentorship, in a much different form?
Let’s discuss it…
Fascinating question Brother! Anthropologists perspective: Hierarchies have existed in human societies since we started organising into social groups to survive. A primary reason we invented religion and how we eventually ran agrarian societies onwards to today. We see similar actions in other animal species (we often forget we too, are animals). Both matriarchal & patriarchal societies have hierarchical systems. This helps us normalize customs, rituals, behaviours, etc. What I find most interesting with Masonry is that we have a hierarchy, but it exists externally to the individual. It actually promotes egalitarianism. One may be a WM this year and Tyler the next, yet still hold prestige and rank within the Craft.
Hierarchy versus freedom, is in my opinion the question of our day.
Hierarchy is essentially a vertically oriented power structure. The higher you are, the more power you have. I think this is the natural human organizational structure. Even in groups oriented to consensual decision making and communal distribution of wealth, there are always people who, due to experience, or eloquence some other quality, exert more authority than others. So, to my mind its clear hierarchy is a fact of life. The real questions are much more subtle.
This is the basic formula. Hierarchy is based in a social contract that is implicit. In essence that contract is this, “I will submit to authority (give up some agency/freedom) in exchange for membership in a group that facilitates the success of my life.” When the hierarchy does not produce a better life, then individuals will reassert their need for agency and the hierarchy collapses.
Another important element of the social contract is that the hierarchy will operate within the ethical framework of the society. Failure to do so will eventually be perceived as hypocrisy and again the hierarchy will collapse.
The only alternative is the hierarchy uses force to stay in power. This never ends well, ever.
Within Freemasonry we expect the ideals of our fraternity to be reflected in the product of our hierarchy. We also expect the leadership to be effective. That is a simple equation that Is very hard to achieve. Leaders must, in my opinion, possess equal measures of natural leadership and trained skill. I am not an advocate for the idea that anyone can be a leader with training. A manager can be created with training, but a leader is born and refined, like an artist.
The current challenge in Freemasonry, and its hierarchy, is very similar to the issue of guarding the West gate. If we do not guard the West gate against admitting men who are more ruffian than craftsmen, we fail. If we promote men thru the chairs without care we have the same problem. Our craft requires work; mechanically promoting men thru the line without evaluating their skills, providing morale, ethical, and spiritual development can result in leaders that are motivated by less the best masonic ideals. When that happens the hierarchy collapses, either partially or fully.
So yes, we need hierarchy, BUT it must be a healthy hierarchy that serves our fraternity toward making good men better, and subsequently improving our society in general.