Chris – What you said in – “The way men see themselves as compared to the way I see them. The dream told me that generally men see themselves as being above women and I see myself self as being equal to male authority figures and above most men.” This is huge social problem in some nations, but for other nations like Sweden it has been tackled well. See
https://sweden.se/society/gender-equality-in-sweden/ The leading countries for equality are: Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden.
Where it is a social problem it is a constant unless a great pressure group builds up against it. Otherwise it is an individual problem.
It is an inbuilt drive in most healthy human, women and men, to want to be appreciated. I think this is a national problem. I once drove to Leeds in northern England to lead a group, and at the time I felt very lonely and unnoticed. Having been to rural Greece where people really notice and acknowledge you and take in what you are doing, when I walked through the covered market in Leeds, nobody met my eyes; except for one black male who really looked. It must have been strange for him that a white male gave him a meaningful exchange.
At times this becomes even an idiotic thing, like being politically correct. While collecting my children from school I witnessed a young girl run and fall over. She was crying badly and was obviously hurt, so I went and picked her up and held her. She didn’t mind, but the headmaster came running toward me screaming – yes screaming – “Don’t touch that child!!”
We all have a long way to go, you too Chris, to live in a real human society. Your problem is a mixture of thing. The mass of men and women grow up in ready-made attitudes about the world and each other. The psychiatrist Erich Fromm in his book Fear of Freedom analyses the greatest human fear. It is the fear of being different from everyone else. It leads to a huge sheep like behaviour where everyone – nearly – has to stay in the herd to feel safe.
I faced this as a child having an Italian name during the war – where Italians, even though born in the country were treated like enemies. You as a woman, born in a country where men were raised to feel superior, treated you as inferior of the species.
I didn’t find positive thinking was working for me, but positive ‘feeling’ did. This was by remembering all that you have achieved through your own efforts, then honour yourself in recognition of the battles you fought to get there. When you have got through to feeling that, stand in front of a mirror, and recognise yourself, and with pride wear the medals you got – for you are a veteran.
“I see myself self as being equal to male authority figures and above most men.”
Tony