Why Do We Obey?

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Even thought Erich Fromm admits that one of the reasons why we obey is because it is the right thing to do. He also suggests that when we follow our “autonomous obedience”, that is our own personal judgment, we are not being submissive because this is something that is a part of who we are. But where did this judgment came from? Humans are directly affected by every aspect of their life. We don’t come up with values or believes about a specific topic on our own. It is the experiences, the knowledge that has being transmitted to us that molds our set of convictions. Making such claim can cause enormous damage to human race. The men responsible for the hijacks of the 911 attacks were indeed following their own beliefs. So, this means they were not being obedient to the orders of Al Qaeda? These orders were inserted in their brains. They were converted into what some believe was right. Being obedient goes beyond who we obey or who is giving us the instructions, but why do we do so when we know it can cause massive damage.

There is no doubt that Mohamed Atta’s behavior and the other 18 men involved in the 911 attacks is one of the most cold-blooded, devilish acts of human history. There is no religion, law or believe that can justify such a terrible act. But what is behind Atta’s decision to obey? He didn’t felt satisfaction in killing thousands of people, instead, he felt pride in doing effectively what he was asked to do, regarding the difficulty of the task. In the same way, Atta belonged to a group that shared his goals and beliefs. He wasn’t the only one, since there were others that supported and protected him. Atta could have disobeyed and gone against them, but that decision could have cost him, not only the rejection of his group, but his and his family’s life. It was more important for him to gain support and protection from a group, than to lose his life in vain. Mohamed Atta’s father has been described as a strict parent, who didn’t allow his kids to socialize with the neighbors or far family. Atta was also an excellent student, who graduated with one of the highest scores. With these facts, we can conclude that Atta’s was taught to obey. He had spent all his life under the orders of a strict institution. So, obeying was a natural behavior in him. The structure of modern life has made individuals more vulnerable to surrender to inhuman, illogic convictions, which threaten our existence in this planet. We must restore our set of morals and beliefs, as an important part of the development and continuity of this new generation. By doing so, we provide and guarantee a safe environment for the generations ahead of us. Whether we make it or not, it will only depend on the consciously human decision, which is always going to be the virtue and sin of human kind; its free will.