Disobedience As A Psychological And Moral Problem Essay Example

like Napoleon in Animal Farm who used fear and made deals with humans despite denouncing them.

Fromm argues that not all disobedience is admirable and not all obedience is bad. However, this viewpoint overlooks the dialectical relationship between disobedience and obedience. If the principles being obeyed and disobeyed cannot be reconciled, obeying one principle means disobeying the complementary principle, and vice versa. Antigone serves as a classic example of this, as she obeyed inhuman state laws while disobeying the laws of humanity. Similarly, religious martyrs obeyed their religious principles while disobeying the rules of their oppressors. In the animal farm rebellion, the animals obeyed the principles of Animalism but disobeyed Mr. Jones' rules. Fromm concludes that those who only obey without disobeying are slaves, exemplified by Boxer in the animal farm. On the other hand, rebels only disobey without obeying. Snowball in the Animal Farm is considered a rebel. Fromm introduces two different perceptions of conscience: authoritarian conscience and humanistic conscience. The authoritarian conscience is an inner voice that most people heed and oblige, eager to please and afraid to displease. It is also referred to as the conscience or the super-ego. On the other hand, the humanistic conscience exists in all human beings.The intuitive knowledge that guides individuals to discern what is humane and inhumane, and to differentiate between a favorable and destructive life, is essential. However, this internal sense of morality can be weakened by external influences, such as the principles of power. When one's conscience is debilitated, their ability for self-judgment and conscientiousness diminishes. This was evident in the pigs of Animal Farm, as their weakened conscience led them to mistreat their fellow

animals unknowingly. Obedience can be a product of sheer force, but this approach is vulnerable to the majority overpowering the minority through force. Moreover, when fear is the driving force behind obedience, it hinders progress and action. Therefore, it is crucial to teach people to obey willingly and not solely out of fear. In the initial stages of Animal Farm's rebellion, the animals worked together and followed the seven commandments willingly, resulting in increased production on the farm. However, as Napoleon's rule became dictatorial, fear became the main motivator for obedience among the other animals. Consequently, farm production suffered and yields were lower.Although obedience is generally considered a virtue, it may not always be the case. It is only when power is consistently good, possessed by the wise and all-knowing, that obedience can be considered virtuous. Conversely, disobedience can only be deemed a sin under these specific circumstances.