General Discussion

Taverner

(55,476 posts) Sat Jul 7, 2012, 11:31 PM Jul 2012

"Human beings are at their best when they are free of authority." Agree or disagree? [View all]

I read this quote and wondered what you thought of it.

It seems simple to me - what gets in the way of productivity, communities, families, etc is authority.

Specifically it is unearned authority.

And that each worker/family member/human being has to earn authority with each other, not through some central authority.

That is, leaders and authoritarian structures - be they state, corporate, religious or other - are what always doom us.

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	8 (35%)
	Disagree
	15 (65%)
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68 replies

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"Human beings are at their best when they are free of authority." Agree or disagree? [View all] Taverner Jul 2012 OP

It depends. SoutherDem Jul 2012 #1

Depends entirely on the individual. I don't believe this idea can be generalized. Lionessa Jul 2012 #2

Yep..I started to post the same words. BlueJazz Jul 2012 #8

This poll serves no valuable point. DrewFlorida Jul 2012 #3

It separates the authoritarians from the communalists. PassingFair Jul 2012 #5

I can't believe even 1 person voted "agree" with this. Zalatix Jul 2012 #4

It's not a strict dichotomy pwhtckll Jul 2012 #6

If all their wants and needs are filled, yes Gman Jul 2012 #7

Some people have insatiable needs. nt Confusious Jul 2012 #10

Wouldn't work Confusious Jul 2012 #9

Children are at their worst when they are free of authority. Iggo Jul 2012 #11

just look how wonderful societies are when all authority collapses Douglas Carpenter Jul 2012 #12

what kind of crap push poll is this? Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2012 #13

Bingo. Children are human beings, and they need parents to tell them that they can't have MADem Jul 2012 #55

Humans need athority. UnrepentantLiberal Jul 2012 #14

Where did you see this? n/t ChazII Jul 2012 #15

AK Press (Anarchist Collective Publishing House) Mission Statement Taverner Jul 2012 #18

This message was self-deleted by its author cherokeeprogressive Jul 2012 #16

How is "authority" earned? cherokeeprogressive Jul 2012 #17

It depends on the size of the group and how the authority is implimented. Marrah_G Jul 2012 #19

It depends who/what the authority is. Occupy, for instance, suggests bottom-up community authority. stevenleser Jul 2012 #20

"Only a few prefer liberty - The majority seek only fair masters." Sallust Tierra_y_Libertad Jul 2012 #21

The Romans got their liberty in the end Confusious Jul 2012 #58

In small groups with reasonable social constraints 4th law of robotics Jul 2012 #22

Human beings are at their best when they are not manipulated by authority woo me with science Jul 2012 #23

Amarchy doesn't work as a social structure. nt rrneck Jul 2012 #24

What does? Tierra_y_Libertad Jul 2012 #26

This is an Rand quote? Bluenorthwest Jul 2012 #25

It is a matter of balance treestar Jul 2012 #27

If you didn't have someone telling you what to do would you? Would you?... Historic NY Jul 2012 #28

Just what Ron Paul and his little boy want, to free of authority (government). No thanks. Little Star Jul 2012 #29

Government, I am convinced, is a dog and pony show Taverner Jul 2012 #34

the only way to eliminate (or otherwise control) the corporation is through governmnet. nt arely staircase Jul 2012 #45

Only if you believe JustAnotherGen Jul 2012 #30

Yay, authoritarianism! woo me with science Jul 2012 #31

It's just not that simple. stevenleser Jul 2012 #59

Mikhail Bakunin Tierra_y_Libertad Jul 2012 #32

where does the sociopath fit in that formulation without everybody else getting screwed? yurbud Jul 2012 #68

Human beings are pack animals. We always look for a pack with a strong leader BlueCaliDem Jul 2012 #33

Authority comes naturally ... Trajan Jul 2012 #35

Even anarchists wear the proscribed uniform. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2012 #36

Black has significance, just as Red does to Socialists Taverner Jul 2012 #37

Much depends on the level of authority ... spin Jul 2012 #38

Great post! Taverner Jul 2012 #39

Thanks for your support. (n/t) spin Jul 2012 #42

This is the kind of discussion I was trying to foster Taverner Jul 2012 #46

I enjoy posting on DU as it offers an opportunity not only to express my opinions ... spin Jul 2012 #48

Extreme levels of authority, and no authority at all, are both likely to lead to bad consequences LeftishBrit Jul 2012 #40

How about collective, rather than individual derived athority? Taverner Jul 2012 #47

Depends on the collective. Ask African Americans how they'd feel about a 1950's southern collective. stevenleser Jul 2012 #56

This! FrodosPet Jul 2012 #62

being accountable to someone else Bluerthanblue Jul 2012 #41

I actually enjoy driving on roads with designated traffic rules riderinthestorm Jul 2012 #43

That depends. I am thankful 280, 101, 680 and, thank dog, 17 all have speed limits Taverner Jul 2012 #53

bankster's paradise nt arely staircase Jul 2012 #44

If authority did not exist, people would quickly invent it. quaker bill Jul 2012 #49

To "Agree" assumes that libertarianism is correct. It isn't. baldguy Jul 2012 #50

Anarchism is radically different than Libertarianism Taverner Jul 2012 #52

Agree. Authority is always exploitative. nt Deep13 Jul 2012 #51

Unchecked authority is death to a free society orpupilofnature57 Jul 2012 #54

Wouldn't Somalia be representative of what happens when... Spazito Jul 2012 #57

No - the opposite actually Taverner Jul 2012 #60

Well, it seems, in Somalia, authority is everyone AND no one... Spazito Jul 2012 #61

That requires people to step up FrodosPet Jul 2012 #63

It also depends on the type of authority and where they get their legitimacy. LiberalFighter Jul 2012 #64

Now that's the million dollar answer Taverner Jul 2012 #66

Many people fear liberty, as you can now see. bemildred Jul 2012 #65

Read "Better Angels of Our Nature" by Steven Pinker and you'll disagree mainer Jul 2012 #67