[Standard] Rational realism says that the subjective/mental depends on the objective/material and not vice versa: the objective/material is independent of the subject/mental. This note explores the implications of a whole society/culture assuming this kind of realism.
Consider that in a hierarchically structured society/economy/state/system* one’s ability to determine/manipulate/change the objective/intersubjective/material/practical level [of reality] depends on one’s position in hierarchy – on the degree to which one has wealth/resources/influence/standing/privilege/power…
And so, for the lower levels of the hierarchical system, given that this form of realism says that they cannot improve their position by means of their own subjectivity/mental, namely that they cannot collectively imagine and re-configure reality, the ruled/lower classes/levels must believe/feel that, for them, the overall hierarchical structure/system is fixed, an unchangeable objective fact – that they are powerless to change it. …So rational realism/reality is perfectly suited to reify and support a hierarchy.
Just to re-iterate:
We have personal and communal imagination, ideals, goals. These belong to the subjective realm in the dualistic categorization of rational realism. According to this realism, the subjective realm is determined by the objective realm and not vice versa (which follows from the notion that the objective realm is independent of the subjective). Therefore, if we want to realise/materialize our imagination, we must do this indirectly through the objective realm: we must accrue resources/abilities in the objective/material realm with which we can then change things in accordance to our imagination. …And, in turn, that can only be done by functioning and attaining success in the currently institutionalised systems of material resources/abilities** – and these systems may be hierarchical. And without doing so, we cannot change institutionalized systems, as these belong to the objective realm.
It tricks us into thinking that in order to change the system we need to be granted power by the system.