What is your culture's outlook towards authority figures? What seems to have influenced it?
What is your culture's outlook towards authority figures? What seems to have influenced it?
I am an Indian and I have become hyperaware of the people and the culture that surrounds me and I am beginning to see the flaws in it. One of the flaws that trouble me the MOST is how most Indians behave when they encounter any authority figure (mostly higher class or "higher" caste or the wealthy or the bureaucrat class).
When an average Indian walks into a Government office with a corrupt bureaucrat in it, he begins treating himself as an insect, he is way too afraid and he is way too submissive and slavish, this doesn't end here however, if you meet someone of a higher social status than yourself you become slavish and submissive there too and this happens every time an authority figure is in the room and even with people who think very highly of themselves(at their homes, with their families etc.,) I dress well and look somewhat well so once I had a guy who is my father's age call me sir and use language which is reserved for "the higher classes". This is not ok! I wish he had a spine, I don't want to be him when I grow up, but I know he didn't choose to be that way, it's the environment he was brought up in and not being aware of one's own slavishness.
I am not blaming my people, but I do detest the culture which caused this. And don't be fooled, I am not an observer, I (used to) do this too and I hate this
It's like our bones melt and our brain switches off and we become in our own eyes the lowest form of life on earth. Probably justifiably because the education we have received is subpar (counter-productive) in most cases. And you can't think highly of yourself if you are capable of doing anything productive, but it's not just that, it happens with those people who are productive members of the society, but to a lesser extent.
I have heard many Southern Asian countries are like this in this aspect. So, I was wondering how you treat authority in your culture and if you thought it was healthy. I would be very much interested if your culture is similar to mine and what you think might have caused it.
And most importantly, how do you think I can get rid of this disgusting habit, is it even possible in India? (fellow Indians jump in here)
edit: Thanks to everyone who replies! :)
I watched Malcolm X starring Denzel Washington last night. He talks a lot about how a history of oppression creates a mental slavery in the victims, and that the mental servitude must be overcome to stand a chance at being truly an equal.
Maybe you should give it a watch and see if it speaks to you too. It didn’t inform me of how to fix all the problems in the world, but it definitely gave me a lot to think about when it comes to addressing the problems in yourself so you can be an example for the world.
I'm from the Netherlands so I can give you my perspective of what it's like here. Cultures are complex and nuanced so I hope I'm able to explain it, and of course it is only my own view.
People here openly flaunt authority. But it isn't really something you do, it's something you are. It's just natural and even expected of you. People also don't tend to mince words and will often tell you what they think. It's not rude, it's a sign of respect to be forward.
Since I work internationally that can sometimes lead to interesting situations. In their culture it might be final when a boss says what should be done. For me it is completely natural to say it makes no sense and we should continue the meeting or reconvene later.
Politeness is not really much of a concept here. If you are being polite you'll run into misunderstandings with people. They'll full on simply not understand what you are talking about if you're being indirect.
We have formal and casual pronouns. If you use the formal ones, almost everyone will stop you. It will make them uncomfortable. Even if the relation is professional.
Talking to say a dentist or cop feels like talking to family you don't know so well. I once called the cops and she calmed me in a motherly way and then shared her business ideas for my business and told me she'd come visit with her entire family that weekend.
Bosses are an interesting topic. Everyone will pretend like everyone is equal, but of course the boss still secretly has control, and politics are a thing.
I'm not into Dutch politics but I know the prime minister rides a bicycle to work and I don't think he has a security detail.
Anyway, that's the general feeling I get, but of course people come in all shapes and sizes just like anywhere else.
Also I wanted to say that afaik the Indian classes were supercharged by the British. Perhaps because of their own class structure or perhaps to divide and conquer. That might be something interesting to look into.
This sounds wonderful
Wait until you hear the problems
American here. We mostly cuss at ours.
In all seriousness, we generally treat people with respect but that's about it. It's heavily varries by person.
You are correct. This is indeed a thing (though typically when the authority figure is right in front of one's face), but I have noticed it a lot less in zoomers. On a similar note, the Indian Police Act and, rather, law enforcement as a whole needs to be reformed and worked heavily upon so the laws sincerely get executed and implemented (maybe then the people won't be as intimidated).
rather, law enforcement as a whole needs to be reformed and worked heavily upon so the laws sincerely get executed and implemented (maybe then the people won’t be as intimidated).
it's the culture, it won't change even if it supposedly changed in the law.
It changes over extended time spans on the order of generations, and I might say it's cyclical but it's hard to see in a given lifetime.
In the early 1900s USA people where held at the absolute mercy of the wealthy, working long hours in wretched conditions for a pittance.
During and shortly after the WW1 & WW2 there was a massive push for unity and worker rights, the unions took shape and the working class took a large chunk of power away from the owners to better their standing.
In the 50s-70s there was a time of keeping pace with the neighbors, competitive but also concerned with the well-being of your fellow people.
Then from the 80s through early 2000s it switched and became a hyper individualistic 'I got mine' mindset.
In the last couple decades we've started to see a return to a push for collective good, but it has been held back a lot by a heavily divided population with half blaming the other half for the decay of society while those with means just sit back and watch the sniping from afar.
I've only been around for those last couple portions so a lot of my perspective is just my impressions from history books, but I guess the point I'd make is to look at the ebb and flow of things in historical context. People's willingness to defer to power is both personal and couched in the willingness of society to support the individual.
Just another job.
Influenced by how it is handled in this country.
We Americans tend to like authority but distrust authority figures we don't already agree with.
My culture isn't really homogenous when it comes to an outlook on authority figures. Not that I can speak for anyone aside from myself. For me, it depends on the authority figure. Where do they derive their authority from?
Police I can get along with, but I'm not going to obey them just because they're police. Police follow a mishmash of rules handed to them by governors whose rule is built on lies and theft or destruction, that is, their predecessors knocked out previous entities through war and revolution and they are a continuation of that. So any obedience I give to a governor is a gift. This is often contrasted with admins whose superiors are said to have crafted the entity they rule over with their own mind and hands and without deception, and I follow them unconditionally unless jurisdiction becomes an issue.
As an American authority is hated and enforced. Our culture is highly competitive and authority focuses aren’t above it.
There's a book called culture map, you should take a peek.
Most people prefer videos, or I'd have posted a link to a blog, I'm too lazy for both
thank you!