Why do we obey?

It is human nature to simply obey because it is part of life to interact and follow what we know is right. When we were born, we knew nothing. We didn’t know any words, any phrase or any meaningful statement. The ones responsible in molding us are our parents, who have been there since our birth. What do we notice in a child’s life? Well, I think that our families are the ones responsible for teaching us the basic things in life. They tell us which is right and which is wrong. They teach us the basic words and concepts. Hence, it is human nature to adapt with society. This means that ever since we breathed in for the first time, that is what we know- that we owe our lives to our parents.

In the process of growing up, we obey our parents because it has come to our understanding that they know better. We ask things and they have the answers to it which is why we assumed that they know everything. As a result, we follow them because they have authority over us, and they are always right. As we grow up, we engage into different activities, get exposed into the world and sometimes we even intentionally disobey them. A simple example like when we go home late. When we go home at the middle of the night, we enter the door and there they are, standing mad waiting for us. Even though we act against them and obey them, in the end, we still lose because they have the power over us. Yes we are adults and we know the consequences of our actions. We have our reasons like we just want to spend time with our friends, but if we try to go against our parents (because we aren’t really doing anything), they have the power to confiscate our things such as no allowance or they ground us for a couple of weeks. Even though we hate to be grounded and everything they say is against us, we still follow them. Why? Why do we obey? My perception is that because they have the power.

Power is basically the authority over someone. It is linked with politics most of the time because power is associated with those on top of the structure like government officials. Similar with what I have just mentioned above, our parents are like the government officials. We follow the government because they have authority. You see, that’s because they have power and we all know that power goes a long way. We know that the government is corrupt. Taxes, funds and other fees collected from us are said to be “for our economy”. Do you actually see infrastructures being built? Or do we see places being built for foreigners? We know and we are aware that our money just goes to the officials but we don’t do anything about it, perhaps because this would not only be inconvenient but because they have power. People who go against them just lose at the end. It would be a lot better if officials are corrupt but there’s some progress in the economy but in the Philippines, that’s not the case.

Stanley Milgram said that people are willing to cause injuries to others if told to do so by someone who possesses authority (Edkins, 2009). This is because those who are told to do so are just obeying those who are in authority. Perhaps they are not afraid because the primary power is not in them but the person telling them to do so. Edkins (2009) gave some examples like the revolutions in 1989.

Two thinkers had their respective theories on why we obey sources of social and political authority: Max Weber and Emile Durkheim. Analysis by Weber’s works states that the power of authority is possessed by a specific institution or individual and society and they are obeyed because their power is legitimate. Durkheim on the other hand said that we obey rules not because of any superior force but because of the moral authority that society commands from us. According to Durkheim, we acknowledge society’s orders because it is the object of genuine respect (Edkins, 2009).

Thomas Hobbes, a 17th century political philosopher, believes that when individuals combine and enter into an agreement, their powers are combined into one. This forms into a greater power bigger than the people combined. He calls this the Leviathan, symbolized by a giant man that is made up of small individual men. A French political thinker Michel Foucault also raised the idea that those who have the power repress others. He believed that there is power relations between and amongst people . For him, power is nothing unless there is resistance (Edkins, 2009).

I find all these ideas and reasons valid but I agree most with Foucault. Well, because I find it very reasonable and practical. I also believe that those who have the power use this power to repress things that are against them or they don’t agree with. This now is related with the government given that the government has this kind of power over its people. We obey our government because we have to. It has been part of our daily lives to obey our government because it is assumed that by voting for them, we are giving them power. Hence, we are forced to obey even a bad government due to the power it possesses. Although, a bad government also has its fears since once the people decide to start a revolution, the government will show that what they are doing are good. I think that as long as the people are fine and they think that the authority of the government is still acceptable, then people remain indifferent. Good governments on the other hand are very hard to find. These governments deserve our obedience since they are just doing their job without any malice of hidden agenda. It is right for people to obey the government because in theory, they are the ones who put these officials into power (assuming that we are talking about the Philippines only: a democratic government). It is and has been part of social norms to obey the government- pay taxes, etc and because this has been a huge part of the peoples’ lives, it just is how it is. To put it simply, governments are the leaders and representatives of each country and they need the power so the whole world will be orderly. Hence, this authority also deserves some respect from its people because their power is valid. Although some things are not allowed by them (repression), they still hold power.

Sources:
Edkins, J. and Zehfuss, M. (eds.). (2009). Global politics: A new introduction. London: Routle