2003-05-01 - 9:56 a.m.
AUTHORITY
When I first met him, one of Mr. Philately�s guiding principles was �Question Authority.� And he did question authority. He was never impolite about it but he was firm. Authority needed questioning. As years went by and he had children, he still believed authority needed questioning�as long as the authority being questioned was not HIS authority. His authority did not need questioning because, unlike all those other authorities, his authority rested on well-thought-out, careful reasoning. But now he has teenagers who do not necessarily believe his authority rests on well-thought-out, careful reasoning. And life can be interesting.
The judge I appeared before yesterday and the day before also is very concerned about authority. She is inordinately concerned about authority. Her body language and demeanor scream, �I AM the judge. I AM the judge. I AM the judge.� at such volume that what I hear is �Please reassure me that I matter. Please reassure me that I matter.�
On Tuesday, for example, she wanted to know why some papers were where they were in the courtroom. She asked her court reporter who did not know. I started to tell her the answer. For my trouble, I was dressed down on not giving proper respect to the court because I had not been addressed and for not knowing proper court procedure because now her court reporter had to stop and record what I was saying because we had to be on the record. I have no idea why we had to be on the record and can think of no other judges that would have conducted themselves that way. My reaction was not greater respect for the court or admiration for her control. My reaction was something more akin to �you�re a nut, lady� although I restrained myself. (Actually, what I thought was �Captain Queeg.�)
Demanding respect to authority generally is a poor way to get it. Maybe my upper-middle-class background influences my view but people who demand respect rarely seem to do so from strength. The most authoritative and powerful people I�ve met don�t need to yell. They can afford to whisper. They are so sure that they can ask politely and view minor and mild challenges as piddling. Other people may rebel but they never doubt that they are pushing against something of substance.
Mr. Philately�s first instincts were correct. Real authority can withstand a few questions. Real authority can withstand a few challenges because real authority is not insecure.
And I pray that someday our current president may grow up enough to figure all this out.
LAST YEAR: Bells Going Off
Little Things About Sewing
Where the Wild Talks Are
The End of Passover
Driving Lessons
Door Number Three
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Copyright 2006 by Ellen |
