ABSTRACT
A "dignitarian" society is one in which rank-holders are held accountable, rankism is disallowed, and dignity is broadly protected. The self-esteem movement fell into disrepute because the respect it offered was too often fake and exaggerated. In contrast to malnutrition, malrecognition afflicts both rich and poor. Both maladies reduce the body's resistance to disease, lower life expectancy, and impair learning. Malrecognition, like its physical counterpart, is a preventable and treatable ailment. One-Upmanship was to academics what Machievelli's The Prince was to statesmen—a survival guide. Although knowledge was worshipped, the business of passing it along was often profaned. Adjunct professorships carry a fraction of the pay, no benefits, no role in governance, no job security, often not even parking privileges. In today's world, the ability to use models is no longer enough. To thrive in a world of perpetually changing beliefs, all of us need to cultivate the innate human talent for creativity, for building models.
