Blindly obeying authority often results in disobedience to one's personal morality. Since rules were established and exist for the common interests of the general population, some would say adhering to the rules is obedient. However, when rules conflict with people's morals, one has the right, and furthermore the responsibility to disobey. Contrary to popular belief, disobedience does not center around ignorant rebellion.
Discussion
History began as an act of disobedience and will likely end with an act of obedience. If a man can only obey and not disobey, he is a slave; if he can only disobey and not obey, he is a rebel (not a revolutionary). Obedience makes me part of the power I worship, and hence I feel strong. We can see ourselves in Adolf Eichmann–that as an organization man he "has lost the capacity to disobey, he is not even aware of the fact that he obeys.
Erich Fromm suggests, living in an era in which our capacity to disobey has atrophied to the point that we are unaware, even, of how our obedience has become second nature. Such an era is not unlike the one that produced Adolf Eichmann. As Fromm notes:
Eichmann is a symbol of the organization man, of the alienated bureaucrat for whom men, women and children have become numbers. He is a symbol of all of us. We can see ourselves in Eichmann. But the most frightening thing about him is that after the entire story was told in terms of his own admissions, he was able in perfect good faith to plead his innocence. It is clear that if he were once more in the same situation he would do it again. And so would we-and so do we.
From's remarks should give Americans pause. Americans pride themselves on their.....
