8. Obedience



First Part

When it comes to obedience, I, your Computer, can lecture you. Do I make mistakes about what you command me? If you give me the right orders, there I am submissively, without my own will, blindly servile. You are yourself who makes mistakes in some orders you give me. I am proud of it.    

But I suspect my obedience is not the obedience which human persons have to give away each others. I act without motives or reasons. If I would be able of doing that, I would not be a Computer, but a person.    

People live in society. And society is a family, a school, a city, the nation you belong to. Can you imagine a society without authority? Authority is necessary. We only need to look how you, the youth, being so prone to reject the established authority, make up another kind of authority. You seek someone who command you and obey slavishly. You follow the ringleader of the gang, the turn leader, the fashion.    

A. Exercise.

  Choose one of this words: computer, man, it is necessary, it is not necessary, adults or youth
 

  The (  ) can give lessons of obedience
  The (  ) has their own will and does not obey blindly
  The ( ) does not make mistakes if it is commanded in a right way
  The ( ) usually makes mistakes when gives or executes orders
  The ( ) acts with motives and reasons  
  In family, school or nation ( ) authority
  The ( ) usually follow the ringleader of the gang or the turn leader



Second Part

    Do you know what obedience is for a person?

    To obey is to accept and to execute, as own decisions, the indications of he who has and exercises authority, provided that it is not opposed to justice.

    Data to be taken into consideration:

    To accept, in obedience, is to consider the decisions of other as yours.

    Authority is the person put to command, ordering the rights of everyone and procuring the good of society or different societies which you can be embedded in.

    To execute is to make promptly what it is command to you, taking interest in performing well the will of him who command.

    If authority exceeds in its faculties, being human at it is, must not be obeyed in its abuses or mistakes.

    Obedience is not opposed to freedom. It is true that he who obeys submits to the will of other. But that is made because a free decision, moved by superior values.

    The first of these motives is the authority in itself, whose bases is God’s authority. Other reasons can be, and actually are, peace, harmony, efficiency, respect the rights of the rest, common good.    

B. Exercise

Choose the right answer in brackets: To execute, To accept, Authority, must, must not, is opposed, is not opposed, free decision, servile subjection, society, God, reasons, obligations.
 

  ( ) is to consider the decisions of other as yours.

  ( ) is the person put to command

  ( ) is to make promptly what is command

 Authority ( ) be obeyed if commits abuses or makes mistakes.

 Obedience ( ) to freedom

 Man obeys with a ( )

 The bases of authority is in ( )

 Peace, efficiency and common good are ( ) of obedience

Third Part

Some proposals

* May your obedience not to be routine, blind, mechanic.    

* You must perform properly, paying attention to the real wishes of him who commands.    

* Do not limit to do the necessary minimum to justify yourself. You must be generous doing even more than it is asked you.    

* Do not criticize, not even from thinking, to the person having authority.    

* Do not try to pass the received assignment to another person.    

* You must do immediately what has been commanded, or at the moment it has been indicated.    

A warning: You must count on the rebellion that outbreak inside us these years. I know that you want to be yourself. Do not worry. The more obedient you are now, the more you will be yourself, and with greater personality.    

Original text of Don Samuel Valero.

C.  Exercise
 

Choose the right answer: man, computer, maximum, minimum, generous, selfish, fame, authority, must, must not, soon, late, personality or rebelliousness
 

 The obedience of ( ) is routine, blind and mechanic.

The obedience of ( ) must be a free decision

 You do not have to limit to do the ( ) to justify yourself

 You must be ( ) doing more than what is asked to you.

 Do not have to criticize, even from thinking, the person with ( )  

 You ( ) pass your own assignment to another person

 You have to obey ( ) what has been commanded

 Obeying you will gain in ( ) in the future



If you are registered, please enter your data
 
Name:
 

Password:
 

 

Registration Information

 Educational applications 

Back

In Spanish

®Arturo Ramo García.-Record of intellectual property of Teruel (Spain) No 141, of 29-IX-1999 Plaza Playa de Aro, 3, 1º DO 44002-TERUEL