On authority

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We have been taught to rely on authority.

Responsibility is something that is handed to us, not something we seek and shoulder. We have tasks, duties and thus responsibilities thrown onto our shoulders. It is not something we claim.

Authority is not something we claim. It comes with both power and responsibility. It also means being accountable and holding in trust, the consequences of our actions.

We look to authority to save us. We look to external factors, the outside, to tell us what to do, to define the lines, to enforce discipline. We look to authority, most importantly, for approval.

We are kept small by our submission to authority, whether in fear or by our own choice. We have been taught that to question authority, is to incite embarrassment, thus we do not allow those who come after us to question our choices.

We pass this down to our children, from teachers to students, whenever a child corrects an adult or a senior. Is there any wonder why we suffer?