General Discussion

Trajan

(19,089 posts)

35. Authority comes naturally ...

Sun Jul 8, 2012, 12:13 PM

Jul 2012

At the end of a sword ... or a gun .... take your pick ...

Human beings are animals .... Without some sort of established guidelines for behavior, then it's just a fucking jungle and a dangerous one at that .... It is worth noting that before there were established constitutional governments, there were clan/tribe leaders, and then village chieftains .... Those leaders were leaders because they possessed the ability to create superior weapons ....

Blacksmiths used to become chiefs, because they made superior weapons .... It was really a simple calculus ....

I would posit that society NEEDS laws in order to help peaceful human beings resist the natural predatory behavior of human beings that possess those weapons .... Killing the weak used to be so much easier without them pesky laws against murder and manslaughter ....

Lord of the Flies might be a tame example ....

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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