Abrams 1

Jamie Abrams

Ms. Crowell

English 11 - 3

23 August 2018

The Dignity in Questioning Authority

We as a society have the right to express our disagreement with authority figures when

they have wronged us, despite the negative consequences that may ensue. However, there is an

important distinction to be made between the just and unjust instances in which one questions an

authority figure. From a young age we are taught that older means wiser and our teachers and

parents are the wisest of us all, but in my opinion this is not always true. I believe that respect,

although deserved to an extent, can only be earned. When one expects a level of respect which

surpasses that of social niceties, more often than not they will be met with disappointment as we

tend to wrestle with the idea of following their instructions blindly.

Respect is a unpredictable rascal at times. Often, it takes a myriad of time and effort to

earn, but no more than one misstep to lose completely. Unsurprisingly, respect that is built on the

backs of time and devotion will grow stronger than that which is demanded upon initial

introductions. When one demands a mountainarious amount of respect, they are more likely to be

greeted with exactly the opposite. Undoubtedly, respect is a crucial ingredient in the complicated

blend we call Authority. Without respect, even the most intimidating person is incapable of

sustaining long-term authority whether it be over their middle-school classmates or the serfs

tending to their land. I believe that we have the right to enact justice on those who have wronged

us, no matter the status of the offender or the level of respect they demand. However, to
 Abrams 2

wrongfully indict an authority figure for a trivial crime simply to attract attention to yourself thus

humiliating them is unjust.

It is not unusual to want to attack an authority figure simply because you want to ‘stand

up to the system’, but this action, in contrast to the act of pursuing justice, is unacceptable.

Perhaps, for example, you are often annoyed by jokes made by your teacher therefore do not

respect them. If you were to accuse them of having a boring sense of humor in an attempt to get

a reaction from your classmates, this would be an inappropriate interpretation of the above

mentioned system. On the other hand, if you're teacher regularly makes offensive remarks to you

or your peers, it would be just to denounce them of doing so.

Often, when someone rightfully accused an authority figure of committing a crime, the

wrongdoer is then perceived as dishonorable, depending on the severity of the crime, is likely

removed from their authoritative position. Unfortunately, this is not always how these situations

play out. In the instance that the victim’s claims are dismissed, the accuser will generally be

regarded as an attention seeker. In this case, the victim will likely find operating under their

offender to become even more difficult and, in some cases, unbearable. Therefore, I strongly

believe that one must be cautious when accusing an authority figure of an such an offense lest

they be regarded as dishonest.

Overall, I think that people should feel comfortable speaking out against their offender if

they are sure that their accusations are correct. We cannot function in a society where people

with less money, power and authority feel as though they cannot defend themselves. In such a

world, equal treatment of people despite their financial class or position would be impossible.