Done Deals & The Trance of Powerlessness

The other day I was talking to a friend of mine about her attempts to stop the Portland Public Bureau of Transportation from cutting down three hundred and six trees in the neighborhood where she lived. When she and some of her neighbors expressed their dismay, they were told that by PBOT officials that the plan had been approved and it was a “done” deal.

There was plenty of evidence to suggest this plan could be changed: The funds for it had be recently raised, no major work had begun. There was still plenty of time to change or amend plans if those in charge were willing to respond to the neighbors concerns.There was plenty of evidence to suggest this plan could be changed: The funds for it had be recently raised, no major work had begun. There was still plenty of time to change or amend plans if those in charge were willing to respond to the neighbors concerns.

Declaring the decision a done deal was a power move, and a particularly effective one. It discouraged the opposition from fighting the decision by telling them in essence, your feelings and desires will have no effect on the outcome. Don’t try to fight, the battle has already been won.

Declaring the decision final also worked to disavow the actual power that the powers that be have and the decisions they are making. Instead of saying we are unwilling to consider the neighbors concerns, this declaration of a done deal made it seem as if somehow it was out of their hands — inevitable.

What struck me is that this declaration that nothing can be done is a kind of magical spell those in power use to remain in power.

In the past people believed that words were powerful magic. Spoken aloud a spell or a curse could change reality. The phase “abracadra” means “I create as I speak.” To tell someone they are powerless and won’t be effective works if the person told believes it to be true. There is plenty of evidence in history and at present that people who fight decisions, even those made by large, powerful institutions, can effect change and often do. Everything can be changed. Change is always an option.

So how do you get people to believe what you declare to be true is true? Repeat your assertion ad-nauseum. No proof needed. No argument either. The spell then becomes a trance. What is repeated begins to stick in people’s minds and even if there is no evidence for it, the reality of repetition is difficult to dislodge. Think about an inane pop song that gets stuck in our head. You find yourself humming it, even when you don’t like the song, simply because you’ve heard it one too many times.

We have all learned the trance of powerlessness. It’s a song we’ve heard played over and over again by those who want to maintain the status quo and here’s the tune: There’s nothing you can do. It’s a done deal. It’s always been this way. It will aways be this way. It’s human nature. The decision is final.

What if those of us who want to change the status quo were to use the power of language to summons the realities we wish to see? What spells might we weave to break the trance of powerlessness?