Understood by kids, disregarded by many an adult

One of the first lessons many a youngster gets taught is some variation of the “Don’t hit people, don’t take their stuff” adage. Seems simple enough, right? So simple that the average kindergarten age child can grasp it. Unfortunately, any of these same parents will then turn around and “spank” their children, and/or take away their toys in an attempt to “discipline” them. This immediately sets the precedent, albeit one the child may yet be too young to comprehend, that hitting and taking one’s things is wrong unless a grown up (see: authority) is the one administering the blows, or is the one relieving you of your property. The acceptance of such behaviors can be observed by watching encounters individuals have, or even in the language they use, with those deemed to be law enforcement. Far too many people turn not only a blind eye but, in many instances, also show an unwavering support for these enforcers who routinely hit people and take their “stuff” (including their time) because some other perceived authority scribbled some words on paper. “If he had only complied!” is a refrain heard often from these folks, without a clue as to what that says about their own nature. They have been inadvertently conditioned to accept their role as an inferior to this concept of authority simply because they are told that they are inferior to an alleged authority. “Because I said so” simply becomes “Because I’m the law”, with no regard for logic or reason, but, instead, via the might-makes-right mentality. “You will do as I say because I (or another alleged authority to whom I am a proxy) said so!” – a phrase that will strike fear in child and adult alike – becomes ingrained in the memory. Due to this conditioning, the job of the authority is made easier by the horizontal enforcement of those who now view an objection to said authority as a “wrong” simply because the authority has said it is wrong. These are the type of people who will cheer the thuggery of the boys in blue and utter nonsense such as “He/she should have just followed the law!”, as if this was some axiomatic truth that warranted a mic drop. Without these people, the authority would not wield anywhere near as much power, since the authority is always vastly outnumbered.

This is an excerpt from a piece I have left unfinished for some time titled "Contradictions Abound". Now that I have finally joined the Steemit community I will hopefully have the incentive to finish that piece, as well as some others that have been rattling around in the ole noggin.