Human Disobedience Research Paper

Erich Fromm’s essay “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem” suggests that humankind’s evolution has, and continues to rely on man’s capability to exercise disobedience. While discussing the positions of disobedience being considered a vice, and obedience being a virtue, Fromm reflects upon the history of Adam and Eve believing that “eating the forbidden fruit” was man’s first act of disobedience. This is the point that broke the bond between man and nature requiring man to be dependant upon his own powers, while rewarding him with his “complete” humanity, freedom,

Disobedience is the failure or refusal to obey rules or someone in authority. Disobedience like obedience becomes a virtue. Disobedience can prove that a person can stand against what they think is wrong and what they believe. In the past, there has been people that fought for what they thought was correct and made a change in the world. Like Irish Oscar Wilde once said, “It is through disobedience that progress has been made…,” I believe only the courageous will stand for themselves and for what they believe. Just like Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King did.

    Disobedience has proven to be necessary throughout humanity’s history, for it has brought us freedom, progress, and experience. Throughout these past centuries,  humans have rebelled against social norms and their political oppressors to obtain the freedom and equality we enjoy nowadays, leading to the idea that disobedience and rebellion are important aspects in society. This in turn has also instilled in others the idea that disobedience isn’t proper, but rather detrimental to society, forgetting that rebellions and protests also fall under this category. This, however, doesn’t change the fact that disobedience in the past has actually helped humanity, as seen during the American Revolution

Human beings possess several virtues that differentiate them from other creatures and can use them in ways that represent their perceptions of social order. Surprisingly, Oscar Wilde believes that disobedience is an original virtue of every human and that it is responsible for progress and development. While Wilde’s claim is not entirely accurate, it is largely valid as evidenced by the recent events across the world, including the US, that have led to positive outcomes in spite of being termed and perceived as acts of disobedience.

In Eric Fromm’s article “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem”, he is stating how he believes in order to be successful in life, you need to be disobedient rather than obedient. He also is giving many examples of how disobedience has been effective in the past. I believe that he is correct in a sense but also incorrect in other ways. I personally believe that in some cases disobedience is a necessity to succeed. But I also believe that in some cases, it’s more of a burden. There are many examples that support both views. According to Fromm, people who disobey rather than obey the authority are actually helping themselves.

For the evidence provided throughout history, it’s shown that being disobedience can create progress. But this is not shown in all instances. For myself, I was having an argument with my Mom and I was not listening to what she was saying, being disobedient., I definitely would not create progress in anything, whether it be freedom or that argument being resolved, it just does not work. Overall, when disobedience is prominent there will be change and

Is disobediance a useful human trait to have? I say yes it is if used in the proper way it can be very useful for yourself and others.

At this very moment, millions of Americans are engaging in peaceful resistance to the new Trump administration. Many more have turned to violent displays of opposition. In such a divisive time it is clear that we must all defend each other’s right to civil disobedience. William A. Haviland, author of "The Essence of Anthropology," defines civil disobedience as “the refusal to obey civil laws in an effort to induce change.” This resistance to laws is a necessary part of any true democracy. Henry David Thoreau defends this idea when he says, “If the machine of government is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.” As one of the first and most acclaimed advocates of civil disobedience, Henry David Thoreau hit the nail on the head. If government is behaving in an oppressive manor, then it is not only the right, but it is the duty of her citizens to oppose what is unjust. Thus, peaceful resistance to

Is disobedience a valuable human trait that promotes social progress or is it a flaw that negatively ends in destruction? Civil disobedience is the refusal to comply with certain laws as a peaceful form of protest. Disobedience is like a cloud abundant with rain, it is always full but it saves its rain for the right time. The people are the clouds but instead of being full of water they have the human trait of disobedience and they are saving their rein for the right time to rebel or make a stand. Though some say that disobedience is a negative trait, I believe that disobedience is not a flaw if it is used in a beneficial manner. I agree that it can ultimately end in destruction, however social wreckage allows for the reconstruction of something better through the demolishment of injustices. Resistance is an innate human behavior that should be encouraged in order to make a difference while having good intentions. Furthermore, civil disobedience promotes progress as shown in todays society, literary arts, and American history.

Disobedience is when someone refuses to respect the order of government or power. Periodically it is best to rebel against certain authority as it will not fit the needs of the civilians or only benefit the man in power. This has been shown numerous times in history with our present being crafted by changes of government being determined or thought of the people. A abolitionist by the name of Henry David Thoreau quoted that, “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves”. Antiquity has shown that darkness would've been spread further and further if the disobedience wasn't the light that banishes it.

In 1891, Oscar Wilde claimed: “Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man's original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.” He believed that without disobedience, humans never would have made progress. This statement has proven itself to be true throughout all of human history. Disobedience is a valuable characteristic for humans to have.

Human nature encompases a series of traits that have been added to as history continues; these traits are what entitle people to who they are. Common sense seems to dictate that helpfulness, kindness, and greed would be ways to describe human nature, but another would be disobedience. An Irish author, Oscar Wilde, once voiced his view on human nature with regards to disobedience. Wilde claims “disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue”. History, where lessons are learned and instances of background and reasoning occur, is how society has grown and survived for this long. We must think of disobedience as another way to stretch a situation into a solution even if it means extending boundaries.

Today our society raises us to believe that obedience is good and disobedience is bad. We are taught that we should all do what we’re told and that the people that are disobedient are almost always bad people. Society tells us this, but it is not true. Most people will even be obedient to the point of causing harm to others, because to be disobedient requires the courage to be alone against authority. In Stanley Milgram’s "Perils of Obedience" experiment, his studies showed that sixty percent of ordinary people would agree to obey an authority figure even to the point of severely hurting another human being. (Milgram 347).

Obeying or disobeying the rules depends on your stand, sometimes disobedience resembles freedom, but sometimes it resembles rebellion therefore, people should know how to act through these situations because disobedience is not always the solution, it is the problem. Likewise, we need obedience if we want order and stability to our lives, but obeying what we know is wrong, means that we are acting like slaves.

It was Henry David Thoreau who once said Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. In reference to civil disobedience, he was correct. In order to achieve a free society all individuals must be given the equal freedom, and opportunity to pursuit their own goals, as long as they do not infringe on the rights of others to do the same. When a law hinders this ultimate purpose, society losses the essence of freedom, and creates a type of slavery due to injustice. All people have a moral obligation end injustice, and peaceful resistance to injust laws creates a movement for change that has a positive impact on society.