Towards a sustainable society. How a sustainable counter-hegemony can change the current hegemony

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3. There’s no hegemony without counterhegemony 1. Hegemony is never 100% absolute. A hegemony is not a massive, impenetrable block of granite. Hegemony never includes all individuals, all organizations, not even all institutions. No matter how compelling hegemony may be or feel, at every level there are cracks and holes in the hegemonic armor that can be wrenched open further. From there, counter-hegemonic seeds can germinate.

Fluid hegemony Even though the water surface of the current hegemony may appear calm, there are all kinds of currents underneath moving in different directions. These are fed, among other things, by the rivers and streams that flow in from other hegemonies. Thus, hegemony is constantly in motion and it is virtually impossible to capture it, fix it or even isolate it.

2. Counter-hegemonies always emerge. From the moment hegemony gains a foothold, the seeds of counterhegemonic thinking and acting are sown. These counter-hegemonic dynamics arise automatically as they try to erase and redraw the hegemonic outlines. Sometimes, this is successful. Often it is not.

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