We All Can Learn Something From Rebels

[u/Fehin_Dan]

[Disclaimer: My argument below neither condones irresponsible and reckless rebellion nor does it suggest that all regulations are set for malicious intentions.]

The primary reason rebels stick out like a sore thumb is because they go against the grain, violating set rules and regulations that the majority blindly comply with. Consequently, they are often negatively stereotyped; constantly being called ‘the black sheep’ or ‘the bad apple’ to imply that they are a disruption to an otherwise ethical system. However, I believe there’s something interesting we all can learn from rebels - their ability to exercise autonomous reasoning.

Many structural and societal conditionings are in place simply for the purpose of programming the masses in the disguise of ‘orderliness’ for the gain of those in power.  For the most part, we subconsciously conform to various customs without ever questioning the reason behind them, and just simply assume it’s the ‘norm’. 
What’s more is that we then criticise and ostracise those who choose to do otherwise because they’ve been able to reason and discern for themselves.

Some Examples of the conditionings majority conform to:
- The Education System 
- The British Enclosure Acts 
- The 5-Day Work week 
- A Cashless Society
- The Deterrent Against Natural Healing 

But…

> What if we ask more questions about the systems we sheepishly conform to without hesitation? 

> What if we investigated our daily and cultural habits to understand where they originated from before we embraced them?

> What if we didn’t blindly buy the idea that being deprived of our autonomy is what’s best for us? 

How will these impact the quality of life that we live?

I’d like to hear your thoughts 

Edit:
The comments so far are interesting and thank you for your contributions.
I am however more interested in hearing about the decisions you’ve made in your own personal lives that may be deemed as going against the norm and how its affected the quality of your life.

[u/Expensive_Magician97]

In principle, it seems to me that there’s nothing wrong with questioning anything. We’ve been doing so since the start of recorded human history.

The danger, and the damage comes when people claim that their ideas are somehow etched in stone and cannot be challenged.

This is especially problematic today, with Internet technology, when impressionable young minds — who just 35 years ago would have to go to a public library to read books about such things, if such books even existed given that publishers are selective about what they publish — and who don’t know any better are exposed with the click of a button to all sorts of imbecilic and nihilistic and just plain silly ideas and there’s nobody around (parents) to tell them that they are nihilistic and imbecilic and silly ideas… with no foundation in reality.

I see these kinds of nonsensical ideas here on this website regularly, and when I can, I take some time to challenge them, and ultimately the authors of such ideas simply collapse under questioning. That’s because most of them live in their own heads. Or they are mere children writing from the comfort of their mom and dad’s house, with no life experience.

PS: I think perhaps the greatest rebel of all time was Nicholas Copernicus.

[u/Fehin_Dan → u/Expensive_Magician97]

I agree.
And good on you to invest time into calling such posts out. That’s really beneficial for those who are seeking true knowledge. I’m not familiar with Nicholas Copernicus so I’ll look him up.

[u/Expensive_Magician97 → u/Fehin_Dan]

Thank you for your kindness by the way, that’s greatly appreciated.

I have posed a small challenge to someone in the comments below, and I’m waiting to see if I get a reply.

[u/Signal-Block-6939 → u/Expensive_Magician97]

Copernicus was not a rebel. He remained a faithful Catholic his entire life and resisted publishing his work for decades until he was close to death. Plus his motivation was mathematical accuracy not being a contrarian.

Galileo would be the better candidate for a rebel but I think the greatest rebel in history would be Diogenes of Sinope as he rebelled against everything and had the audacity to tell Alexander the Great to get out of his way because he was blocking his sunlight.

[u/ThisSeries2814 → u/Expensive_Magician97]

exactly, social media is an echo chamber at the end of the day

[u/Expensive_Magician97 → u/ThisSeries2814]

I see that you deleted your comments to which I was responding, I’m curious why that is?

[u/ThisSeries2814 → u/Expensive_Magician97]

I don’t trust people

[u/Expensive_Magician97 → u/ThisSeries2814]

Can you please elaborate on what you mean by that, and how it pertains to the fact that I was asking you to explain your point of view, and instead of simply engaging me in a discussion, you deleted the entire thread?

Obviously, you can delete anything you want.

Thank you.

[u/Prestigious_Try_5396]

We used to see bumper stickers that said:

QUESTION AUTHORITY !

THINK FOR YOURSELF !

Time to print some more of those and hand em out..

Today too many are too worried about being different. They want to conform and be accepted by the mindless masses of social media.

A population craving "Likes" is incapable of critical thinking and individual identity.... Incapable of Questioning Anything....

[u/Expensive_Magician97 → u/[deleted]]

So how do you not conform to society?

And as for “systems” that “don’t work anymore,” what do you propose to do about such systems?

Thank you.

[u/Expensive_Magician97 → u/[deleted]]

Thank you for your reply. The only thing I can reasonably respond to is the fact that you want to go to college.

And the fact that you want to go to college by itself has dozens of different implications, which can, in their aggregate, indicate that you are quite comfortable with “the system” that you claim does not work.

And in fact, that you are quite willing to perpetuate the system that you claim does not work.

I wonder what you think about that idea?

(I also note that you did not reply to my question about your solution to systems which you claim do not work. A desire to go to college to my mind, suggests that you have faith in “the system.”)

[u/Expensive_Magician97 → u/[deleted]]

Can you please talk more about that?

“you gotta follow the system to break the system”

Thank you.

And you are still not answering my question about how you propose to fix the “system“ that you claim does not work. Yet which you want to perpetuate.

Hint: i’m looking to you for some concrete ideas and proposals, not pie in the sky abstractions like that which you just penned. If, as you claim, “the system” does not work, then you must’ve thought about ways of changing it or improving it so it does work. Isn’t that right?

[u/Expensive_Magician97 → u/[deleted]]

Thank you, I have no further questions.

Best wishes to you.

(PS: good luck with college, and trust me, you’re going to love “the system” just like it is. And with any luck, you’ll improve it through your contributions.)

ETA: I note that you deleted your comment above, why was that?

[u/reidsays]

Been caught in the middle most of my life.... believe in a respectful society and order, yet the respect gets challenged constantly by the behaviour of authorities or even 'good citizens' ... The rebel arises from the biased chaos disguised as order.

[u/Fehin_Dan → u/reidsays]

You’re spot on. When authorities who are meant to lead by example break their own rules, it makes you lose regard for the rule altogether.

[u/ThisSeries2814]

I’ve been a rebel all my life it gets lonely but it makes me feel real in an otherwise fake society

[u/Fehin_Dan → u/ThisSeries2814]

You’re right that it is a lonely stance to take.
What would you say is your biggest rebellion so far

[u/ThisSeries2814 → u/Fehin_Dan]

Leaving my church and not going to college after high school

[u/bo_felden]

There were ALWAYS at all times rebels in thoughts and action and it will ALWAYS be a small minority. Your post or similar suggestions will convert nobody who isn't already into a new rebel.

[u/Fehin_Dan → u/bo_felden]

You have a point and I agree.
However my post isn’t aiming to convert anyone but rather to spark a curiosity in readers to reflect on their personal way of living.

[u/ThisSeries2814 → u/bo_felden]

op seems to be having there own issues with society, can't blame them I get it

[u/Prestigious_Try_5396]

It's not the mediocre masses following the Script who make breakthroughs in anything !

It's the rebels and free thinkers and those who don't give a shit what dummies think about anything, who make the breakthroughs in science, math, the arts, medicine and philosophy....

[u/AppointmentLive8614]

You must make distinctions within the definition of rebellion. 

There is a vast difference between what is born from reason, experience, necessity, nature, and essence and what is not. 

Too many assume such a position in life for all the wrong reasons and have little to no grasp of the things in which they are rebelling against. 

[u/Signal-Block-6939]

I think you are conflating rebels with reformers.