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Originally Posted by RRR  The family - In western culture I feel it is all too common for families to be a top-down structure. Whether it is Single parent dominant or dual parent dominant, children are born into a situation where they are not teammates. They are lower-level. Their opinions do not matter. They have no power, influence, or real importance. |
If anything American kids have too much importance and power. Their needs are all met, no matter what. Every year they get new clothes, even if mom and dad wear the same things from 10 yrs ago. If the family is struggling or dad loses his job, American kids are not put into the workforce. They can break all society's rules and be a general PITA in public, but it's ok because they're kids. They almost never face jailtime, no matter how bad they are, but see what happens if you as an adult try to swipe a bunch of CDs. Some parents idolize them. Some live vicariously through them. Some are put up on little pedestals and can do no wrong.
I knew a pre-teen girl who used to call 9-1-1 on her parents during temper tantrums. While waiting for the police to come, she'd smack herself in the face and arms as hard as possible. Cops would arrive and she'd force tears and point out how "mommy hit me". But american culture never doubts kids because kids can do no wrong. They have ALL the power and we have to trust they don't misuse it.
Besides look at their life.... I'd happily trade working all day, stress, and responsibility for someone to cook my meals, bring me whatever I need, and patiently tolerate me when I shrieked and threw things at my caregiver.
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government - At best you can work as a mayor, city council, PTA. etc. -Government is a top-down violent structure by nature.
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Depends how you look at it. Many layers of government are made up of teams : committees, town council, Congress.
It sounds like you've not worked on many teams. I have. It's not the fair, fulfilling, meaningful, productive utopia it might seem.
I encourage you to serve on the Board of Directors for a community organization or non-profit. Everyone is equal to you on a Board. To each one of them, the all want what's best for the team. Trouble is nobody can agree what "what's best" really is. So without any one single leader, it can end up being months of deadlock. (I know because I'm on the BoD of a charity myself)
Leadership is like a lead sled-dog pulling his pack across the finish line. Teamwork can be like tying cats together by their tails and hoping they all go the same direction.
Human being are individuals first, others/groups second. That's just the way we're built.