The System: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Monday: What is your relationship with authority? How have you challenged the status quo?

I grew up at a pivotal time in United States History. We were children of what was called the greatest generation. They sacrificed at home and the military abroad. Many gave the ultimate sacrifice because their government saw to end a wrong. We, on the other hand, at almost the same age, ushered in great questions of authority. The civil rights movement was in full swing. The United States was involved in a very unpopular war. The soldiers that fought it doing their duty getting caught up in people’s questioning the government’s role in policy and being blamed for it themselves.

My generation grew up questioning all of authority. People often referred to police as “pigs” and any authority as “the man”. It started a fundamental change in our country, I believe. I am not saying all for the good either. But change we got. My senior year of high school we fought for and won the right to wear jeans to school and not just dress pants. It was only on Friday but it was something. I protested the Viet Nam War when I was in University. I campaigned for George McGovern who lost in a landslide to Richard Nixon. Nixon soon resigned the presidency in disgrace.

Shortly after those events, I became part of the establishment and authority by becoming a high school teacher. I had smoked weed in my late high school years and when in university. I was a pacifist by nature or by just being opposite of what it seemed the government stood for. My first year teaching a student pulled out a pipe in class daring me to do something about it. I turned him in and he incurred the consequences.

As an adult I learned a few things about rules, authority, and the status quo. Firstly, things are better dealt at the simplest level possible. The further up the hierarchy it goes, the less likely you are to have the situation resolved and not escalated. The more egos and eyes that go into resolving it, the more likely the original incident is remembered by the people involved in the situation.

Behind closed doors I would lobby and argue for change. In public I would model behaviors that were asked for. If students were not allowed to eat or drink in class, then I did not eat or drink it class. If students were to be in class at time I didn’t walk into class later either. If students were not allowed to have cellphones on in class then I didn’t have mine turned on. If I expected my students work to be done on time, their work was graded and returned the next day.

I would advocate to change when the system would be more student centered. I argued that if teachers and schools were to be held accountable then students and parents should be held accountable. I would argue that students drinking water in class could only help them pay attention. Once it was allowed I told all of my classes that I reserved the right so smell their “water bottles”. Advocating for them didn’t mean that I didn’t think it possible someone might sneak in something stronger.

I am respectful of people in authority, to a point. If a police officer directs me to do something I will be polite, respectful, and do what they ask. The same things goes for passport control people and flight attendants. I do the same with people in stores and at restaurants. If something is wrong I will speak up and let people know. I will do it respectfully. If I am ignored or feel as though no action has been taken I will advance to the next person in the hierarchy. Remembering as I said before, things are best resolved at the lowest level.

I have learned that sadly, change, real change tends to take time. It often take too much time. The system is designed to keep the status quo. Often even when even the majority of people wish to change the status quo it takes a great deal of time. It has been known since before I smoked week that it was not the evil drug that most governments said that it was. There is finally movement in my country to change that with some states having legalized it even though nationally it is still illegal making some interesting legal problems in the industry. I am hoping that finally there will be significant change.

I guess it can be said I have a love-hate relationship with authority. We live in a society so we need to have laws governing that. I respect it. Those laws should be just. The people and institutions involved in enforcing those laws should have integrity and be just.

I also will voice my opinion when I think it is wrong. If I am part of the system like when I was a teacher. I will work for change in the background and respect the rules in public. If I see wrong now being just part of the public world I will speak up. I will give people in authority the benefit of their office, uniform, or position until such time as they demonstrate they do not deserve it. Then I will speak my mind to see the system is changed and if needed they are removed because they do not deserve to be part of the system,

Peace be with you