> In any event, even if we do need some authority, the real problem is
> not deference to authority, but unquestioning obedience to authority.
> The latter is positively a hindrance to learning. Unless you are
> training a parrot. But we are talking about humans, whose brains are
> capable of much more than the tiny little brains of a parrot. They
> deserve a better educational system, don't you think?
>
I agree that unquestioning obedience to authority is dangerous.
However, so is unthinking resistance to legitimate authority.
Structural engineer: "You need to use bigger joists for this
load-bearing rooftop". Our hero who questions authority: "What the fuck
do you know? I'll build whatever I want!" (Again, I just don't see how
an industrial society can function without legitimate authority being
granted to people with relevant knowledge and expertise in specialized
areas.)
Miles