G01 said:
To the OP: Have you actually listened to your friends and let them have their say? Perhaps the OP should spend some time listening, figure out why their friends respect said authority, and then evaluate a response. People will not listen to you if you don't listen to them.
I agree with you, but when I do listen and point out to them the flaw in their logic they get upset, and "disown" (If that is an okay word to use) me. Sometimes, listening means following. ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ
Drakkith said:
I have been an NCO in the U.S. Air Force for 6 years now. In that time I can say that I have had to lead people of all types of personalities, races, and backgrounds. I cannot claim that I have done an excellent job, nor even a good job. Only that I did the best I could with the knowledge and skills I had at the time.
I will tell you this. Everything changes when you end up on the "Side of Authority".
Practically no one in a position of authority is going to get on your case just because they are the authority. No, the situation is far more complicated. MOST of the time I have someone who just likes to "stand up to authority" they are utterly, truly, and completely idiotic. They are USUALLY, but not always, young men behaving like young men without a lick of life experience. (Or young women) They don't understand WHY rules are in place. They don't want to accept the fact that they have to do something they don't want to. I'm sorry but 99.9% of the time a person "stands up to authority" they simply has no idea that their actions have repercussions that go beyond themselves. OR they don't care. Or both even. Perhaps a bigger issue is they may not understand why they should care in the first place.
But it's not only that. I think a good deal of it is the attention they get from others by being "the rebel" if you will. They may not even realize they are doing it for the attention, especially if they have grown up like this. It has become second nature to them. They quite literally, don't know how else to behave. And they don't know that they don't know how to behave otherwise. One of the absolute hardest things for a person to do is to even consider that they may be wrong, that they may not know what they are talking about.
To the OP, you asked if it's wrong to challenge authority? There is no answer to this question, there are only opinions. All I can tell you is that EVERYTHING has a reason, and it's never "just because", no matter how often you get told that. That answer is given because the person can't explain why, doesn't know why, doesn't have the time to explain...the list goes on and on.
If you truly want to know I suggest you put yourself in a position of leadership or authority and then deal with someone like yourself. You will QUICKLY find out why it's frowned upon.
Yeah, I understand some people just do it for the attention, but if you constantly seek better ways in understanding something, why do it for the attention, even if the person doesn't understand the repercussion doesn't mean the consequence will be bad, does it? There is always time to explain, if not "now" then make it, if you don't know why not seek?!? Agree? I have been in a role of leadership, things went fine, except the fact they didn't like me. You cannot change a persons feeling even if you try they still reject you. I don't command people. If they don't want to do something, then I will do it my self, "if you need a job done right, do it your self." they don't count as a member of a cohesive team to serve a common,a corporation.
phion said:
You need to earn your stay, regardless of what you think you know or what you have been through. Once you've either (1) earned the respect of authority or (2) become an authority yourself, you will always encounter challenges, and even then there will be challenges but probably of the self-induced sort.
Challenging authority is only healthy, but when it gets in the way of being rational or wise or becomes some type of self-fulfilling prophecy, that's when the distinction should become apparent.
It has a lot to do with maturity too. For instance, I used to hate being corrected or having my core beliefs challenged or whatever else; however, now, I welcome it with open arms because my own thinking simply stopped getting me anywhere, at least nowhere I really wanted to be.
I agree you have to earn that respect. Don't get me wrong, most authoritative figures do enjoy having idea challenged and like being changed, because this is a part of growing up, becoming wiser when you question an established belief system, or the "powers that be", you know what I mean?
Ryan_m_b said:
I disagree with this as a definition for authority, it's much broader. Authority is the right/privilege to decide on an issue or perform an action e.g. speaking on an issue. There are many types of authority, a doctor for example is an authority on medical matters.
Of course one should challenge authority where there is reasonable grounds too and it is safe to do so. By all means question if someone deserves to have authority on a matter if you have a reasonable criticism (e.g. A politicians argument is logically flawed, a doctors statement contradicts medical concensus, the rational behind the authority status is unjustified etc) and it is a wise opportunity to challenge.
I understand what you mean and the same with Evo that you should not question blindly, I mean without a good cause, yet isn't the politician's argument logically flawed? Isn't the doctors contradictory statement always going to go against what is the ethics at the time? So I take back what I said about what an authority figure is, you are right. An authority figure is much broader than my definition, thank you Ryan_m_b
Evo said:
It's stupid to always challenge authority. Only challenge if you have good reason. There is a difference in questioning bad information and blindly questioning authority. I'm surprised that you would say such a thing Astronuc. Do you actually believe what you posted? Should members always question our rules without a reason?
Perhaps it is wiser to say "don't fear questioning authority"?
you are right, but would you not be afraid if you questioned unreasonable actions that the authority has made? For example, take Nazi Germany and the unreasonable killings of millions of people, some people thought it was the right thing to do, not question the person in the leadership role ( possibly fearing for their lives, or because you aren't suppose to do that, a cultural thing.), Do you know what is good and bad outside the context of a social/cultural situation? (I thought I put this post in the humanities, whatever?)
pongo38 said:
There is no power over you that you do not accept.
you are exactly right pongo! This is hard to do stay out of a place in which you wish someone not to exert influence over you, and yet the same is true the other way.
