The Authority Deficit

I've been thinking over a little concept for last few days. How much external influence and authority have influence on our actions. I can start the discussion with Milgram's experiment, but I would like to look at the question in a more personal and Indian contexts.

What Milgram Experiment suggest is - Human beings obey to external authority if they believe in its veracity and even in cases, The correctness of the authority isn't very clear but If the subject (Person participating in experiment) assumes that what is being asked is for some ultimate better purpose, People are willing to do what is being ordered. The Aim of Milgram's experiment was to suggest a reason for behavior of Nazi soldiers during Second world war for execution of thousands of Jews - Why didn't they protest it? What happened to their Morals? Their common sense?

The Experiment gives out a surprising result in overall statistics. People behave strangely as opposed to common sense. They perform actions which they rationally can't justify. They know that what they are doing is somewhat wrong but still as the external authority wants it and gives a plausible reason for it (which they would never believe during a rational discussion), They do it. A very cruel real life example is present here.

I would like to discuss on our personal lives. A lot many times in our life, We are asked by our supervisors, our parents to act or follow some command. A very real example would be some guy who is on site, to work continuously for 28 hours and then report next day after some 3 hrs sleep. I've never encountered a person who would not come to office next day at the right time. People would whine and complain but still they would obey. Why? Because they believe that such an action is the right action. Talking of parents, i've seen few of my friends trying to do a love marriage. The lucky ones have their parents agreeing to them but to the other ones, It's something strange. Parents give absurd reasons - caste problems, religion problems, families status problems, Society pressures, yada yada yada - All of which are rationally unjustifiable. And yet my peers never say it boldly to their parents. And what i feel most disturbing about this is - They accept the authority of their parents. I'm very sure that there are instincts in human beings which enrage them when it comes their basic moral values. But when it comes to parent's advice people don't get enraged.. they just feel depressed and lost.

I've many roommates with whom i've had discussions on this. All of them agree with futility of arranged marriages but still none of them agrees that their parents' and families' views are absolutely absurd. What i'm trying to say all along is: They accept the authority of their parents even when these people are 25-26 years old, are intelligent, are more well read than their parents ever would be, but still accept the views of their parents. None of them has a stand that they are as intelligent and rational as their parents and therefore, they are capable of making right decisions about their life. All of them say "I can't fight against my parents, I'll try to pacify them and change their stance" - A decent approach but flawed basically. The usual approach is - "I know you're angry but please listen to me. I love this boy/girl and allow me to marry him/her". Why does no one ever say "I'm more intelligent than you would ever be and I'm going to make my own choices".

Coming back to job life, Most of us are not satisfied with our pay packages, our work profiles. And yet, when at the next boss-to-subordinate interaction, when he says that Our company has the best work, even though it doesn't has the best pay package.. Most of us believe him. At all water cooler talks at office, People cry about the pay packages but i've never heard anyone crying - This company has no work or challenging projects. Why are boss always able to project to their subordinates that the projects they are working on are Challenging enough. It's again the authority given by team members to the Boss. When he says "We've got fantastic project.. a challenging project and enticing prospects ahead" Nobody crosses him even in his own mind. Yes, i know that people do switch jobs but still everytime it's the pay package that's the driving factor and not the delusion about work challenge prospects.

I know that some people would say it as "Respect to elders" is a age-old Indian tradition. But traditions have to have some basic grounding. If we never question our traditions, our society would always remain a backward society no matter how economic growth we achieve. What i feel is that in the garb of Elderly authority, Most Indian youths are making fool of themselves by not challenging the age old beliefs.

How many times do we question the existence of God even when we can always justify every act rationally or scientifically? How many times we ever believe that our parents are normal human beings who are capable of making erroneous judgments as We youths are at an age of 25-26. We, in fact, never believe that our elders are just plain simple men and women having a limited understanding of the world as we all human beings have. I know that some people would argue against me but my point always was - "Why do people give authority to others just based on perceptions of the society on Power and Authority hierarchies?". The debate was never against elders or teachers or company bosses. It always was - Do we all lack so much authority in ourselves that as soon as somebody else exercies it, We are willing to accept it.

If you are not yet satisfied with my reasoning, Watch Black Friday. It beautifully tells the story of Badshah khan who is lured by Tiger Memon to murder Hindus for avenging Muslim blood. Never during the conversation, Badshah khan questions the authority of Tiger Memon which Tiger Memon gets only due to being group leader of the Terrorist Gang. In real life too, The bloody politicians are able to incite mobs for riots only because The Mob itself gives an unquestionable authority to the politicians to sway their views on truth and lies, and all this happens in a democratic country like India and not a totally communist country like China where the Mob has to agree. Perhaps, it's the biggest flaw of human nature that we all need a leader, for our Society to be organized. And it's the same need for a leader, an external authority which will make us realise, How big a fool we've all been.