Comments on: How to Fight Authority (and Win)

By: jhesse23

jhesse23 — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:19:41 +0000

My opinion is that authority is over-used and some (if not most) authrotiy figures need to be put in their place. If they go unchecked, they will continue with their behavior. I always saw it as my job to check authority, whether right or wrong.

Call it what you want – but if you let authority get away with pushing his or her way around, they will. If you give others power, they gladly take it and your the one left wondering where your integrity went. Check them…I used to be the nice guy when I was younger (mostly to protect myself)…now I’m 6’4 280 lbs and the boundaries I set with authority come with an unwritten consequences…you gotta use what you got in this world. Sad but true.

By: Rossi Stoyanova

Rossi Stoyanova — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:58:26 +0000

When I came back to my home university after one semester of studying abroad I had many difficulties with the administration but finally got a permission to stay in a student dormitory untill the end of February. Then one beautiful January Wednesday I got a handwritten note that I have to leave the room until Friday because I’ve interrupted my studies which was not true. After writing a complaint, collecting a hundred different documents and waiting over a month I finally got their decision which was that I’m right and I can stay in the room until the end of March (go figure – I only wanted to stay until end of February and noone ever mentioned March). When you know your rights you need to fight for them.

By: Berns

Berns — Sun, 10 May 2009 02:45:54 +0000

I believe in some authority. What if there is something about what people say that is right? On the other hand, you have the freedom to create your own way of doing things. Authority seems a problem when people take advantage of it, or use it unwisely. Its healthy to question authority, it seems, but rebelling against it isn’t always useful.. Nobody knows everything, but some people know what works. Who is to trust?

By: charles faris

charles faris — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:20:47 +0000

Fourteen years ago, on a very cold night in February, in des moines, Iowa, i was arrested for dancing after 2am. Well, not literally for dancing after 2am. I was arrested for pushing on a door that was being blocked by an undercover officer whose uniformed partners were roughing up a friend of mine, the promoter who blatantly scheduled a non-drinking event to run beyond the 2am dancing curfew in the capital city of iowa.

We went to court, listened to police officers lie on the stand, were found guilty by a jury… and received suspended sentences by the judge. Dancing after 2am is still against the law in des moines, i believe. Can’t say for sure. My friend moved to san francisco, where you can dance whenever you want. usually. I moved to boston and have no idea if we have any dancing ordinances that are unrelated to alcohol. I doubt it.

The moral? Judges can be wise after all. and authorities quite often contribute to brain-drain.

Thanks for the post! This may have turned out different if i’d had some better gui-dance at the time.

By: Marshall - bondChristian

Marshall - bondChristian — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:49:51 +0000

Good post. As a site devoted to non-conformity, I wondered where this post was.

There’s a also a post at The Art of Manliness that addresses involvement in organizations (it applies to women as well).

Some readers here might be interested in it. It’s somewhat the opposite of this post, but it also talks about how going against the grain within organizations is sometimes better than leaving altogether.

Some interesting ideas. Check it out.

By: antiSWer

antiSWer — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:54:00 +0000

As a budding social worker, dealing with/opposing/fighting/avoiding authority is probably one of my biggest challenges. Of course, I also (sadly) get to BE the authority. I get both sides of it. I look forward to seeing what more you have to say about it.

In reading this post, I think about one of the times that I should have fought authority in my education and wish I had done more.

And thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes. It was a good meal.

By: The Wyman

The Wyman — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:24:14 +0000

My biggest fight was with the mayor of Spokane, Wa., “Queen Vicky”. It was over building a trash burner up wind of the city. This was her solution to “recycling”. She worked out at the same gym I did so I had a special Queen Vicky t shirt made to annoy her. I made sure I worked out at her regular time. She smiled or was it a sneer? I found it very satisfying.

I also spoke my objections at locally televised TV, but to no avail. When the wind blows toward town, as it often does, you enjoy the full benefit of the smoke.

By: Elliot

Elliot — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:03:52 +0000

I think challenges to authority can be good, but it does depend on how you do it, you just need to be careful about how you start to challenge it at first, don’t come on too strong at the start.