According to Allan G. Johnson’s book “Patriarchy, the System,” both men and women are oppressed. According to the reading, social life is what influences how people behave in society. Allan discusses how patriarchy affects both men and women. He shows how, since the term patriarchy is used, many people perceive or understand it to mean males, their advantages, and oppression of women. Every time we choose to remain silent and support the current quo by following the “way of least resistance,” we contribute to the perpetuation of patriarchy or other racist or homophobic ideas.

Both readings were highly intriguing to me, and they both helped to explain the issues of oppression. It all comes down to how institutes continue to instill concepts in the brains of future generations. Some patriarchal civilizations are also patrilineal, which means that property and title are passed down through the male bloodline. Some patriarchal civilizations are also patrilineal, which means that property and title are passed down through the male bloodline. A patriarchal social structure is one in which men possess main power and predominate in roles such as political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and property ownership. Society has also been structured in a patriarchal manner, with gender roles strongly split between the two factions known as men and women, with males having the upper hand since they are seen to be more informed than women.

Audre Lorde began the second reading, “There Is No Hierarchy of Oppressions,” by listing the groups/communities she is a part of and discussing how she intends to have a viable future with the organizations she identifies with. Lorde goes on to describe how each group with whom she identifies functions together in her life. She emphasizes that each group with whom she connects faces difficulties. She wishes to inspire people by demonstrating that one oppression is no different from the others since unlawful authority is still being maintained and we must remain united through it all in order to overthrow what is known as the status quo. She refuses to accept the persecution she faces from both sides.