THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
TERRITORY AND HIERARCHYH
ow can we tell if our orientation is territorial or
hierarchical?
One way is to ask ourselves, If I were feeling really
anxious, what would I do? If we would pick up the phone and
call six friends, one after the other, with the aim of hearing
their voices and reassuring ourselves that they still love us,
we're operating hierarchically.
We 're seeking the good opinion of others.
What would Arnold Schwarzenegger do on a freaky day?
He wouldn't phone his buddies; he'd head for the gym. He
wouldn't care if the place was empty, if he didn't say a word
to a soul. He knows that working out, all by itself, is enough
to bring him back to his center.
His orientation is territorial.
Here's another test. Of any activity you do, ask yourself:
If I were the last person on earth, would I still do it?
If you're all alone on the planet, a hierarchical orien-
tation makes no sense. There's no one to impress. So, if
you'd still pursue that activity, congratulations. You're
doing it territorially.
If Arnold Schwarzenegger were the last man on earth,158 THE WAR OF ART