We've been fighting bad people for decades now that always wanted us to listen to authority. The main reason why the world sucks so much right now, is because too many people gave away their power to authority.
It would be a good idea for our society to re-think authority from scratch. It has been MUCH abused recently.
The concept of "authority" exists in even the most primitive societies. After much discussion, SOMEONE has to decide where a group lives, whether they hunt or fish or both, what field to plant, what crops to plant in it, etc. Even in the family, someone decides what the house rules are and when the kids have gotten out of line and need a scolding. The pure concept of "authority" is something ingrained in our psychology.
At the same time, the concept exists that the "authority" (King, chief, whatever) ought not to be making decisions for his own benefit alone. Even the smallest and most primitive tribes has the idea that Chief is responsible for the welfare of the group and has to make decisions with that in mind. His "authority" is legitimate when it is acting in that "track" and illegitimate when acting for his own benefit or betraying the group acting for the benefit of some outside agency to the detriment of his group. Authority has limits.
It would be a good idea for our society to re-think authority from scratch. It has been MUCH abused recently.
The concept of "authority" exists in even the most primitive societies. After much discussion, SOMEONE has to decide where a group lives, whether they hunt or fish or both, what field to plant, what crops to plant in it, etc. Even in the family, someone decides what the house rules are and when the kids have gotten out of line and need a scolding. The pure concept of "authority" is something ingrained in our psychology.
At the same time, the concept exists that the "authority" (King, chief, whatever) ought not to be making decisions for his own benefit alone. Even the smallest and most primitive tribes has the idea that Chief is responsible for the welfare of the group and has to make decisions with that in mind. His "authority" is legitimate when it is acting in that "track" and illegitimate when acting for his own benefit or betraying the group acting for the benefit of some outside agency to the detriment of his group. Authority has limits.