21/08/2025
Sometimes power doesnât raise its voice. It dresses itself in calm, in openness, even in generosity. But underneath, it keeps the other small and out of sight. I recently encountered this in a response I received, and thanks to the work of Marloes Vis van Heemst on paternalistic powerplay, I could finally see it for what it was.
And as I do with all my experiences and lessons in life lately, I create with it. I give it a voice. I put it into words. So I wrote a substack about it on silence, integrity, and the polished language that hides more than it reveals.
On paternalistic powerplay