The right and access to comfort.
Another manifestation and tool of colonialism that keeps us locked in battle, pitted against each other, making no progress or change towards something better...By design.
COLONISED…
Colonial thinking tells us that the more we conform to the ‘ideal’ installed via colonisation, the greater our right to comfort.
(The ‘ideal’ being, typically: white, abled, cisgender, straight, male, economically productive.)
Those of us who fall within this narrow range of identities are primed to believe we are entitled to material, emotional, and psychological comfort. We are not asked or encouraged to think critically about privilege, so it is easy to become reactive when we bump into uncomfortable ideas, dynamics, or circumstances.
We've been taught to believe we shouldn’t HAVE to contend with difference or discomfort, and so we never develop the skills to navigate those experiences without causing harm. And colonisation’s answer to difference is punishment - the withholding of not just comfort, but necessities for thriving.
VERSUS DECOLONISING…
What if we rejected this model? What if, instead of trading conformity for comfort, we accepted that discomfort AND growth go hand-in-hand?
In the workplace, there is research to show that more diverse teams experience greater emotional discomfort AND produce more innovative, higher-quality results.
What could we achieve if we removed comfort as a goal? How much discomfort do you actively SEEK and how much can you handle?
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[Image Description: A graphic of two halves. The top half has a faded image that depicts/represents the colonising of a map with text that reads: Right To Comfort: We must avoid (and are not equipped to handle) conflict and difficult emotions.
Underneath this, sitting above the dividing line is the word “COLONISED”.
Below this, underneath the dividing line on the lower half of the graphic is the word “DECOLONISING”.
The lower half of the image has black text on a white background that reads: Right To All Experiences & Emotions: All experiences and emotions are valid; how we handle and manage them is key.]
