Smiley faces

I say, "Jump!"

You say, "How high?"

I watched a group of preschool children being programmed to fit into school yesterday and thought about this.  Unquestioned obedience is necessary with neophytes, but when should we stop?

What is the cut off for blind obedience, or that compulsory need to please another person?

At what point should I be willing to deal with disapproval, dislike, even hatred, to do the right thing?

I pondered this for a while and I think it is when I am capable of seeing the true ramifications of my actions.

Running head long into authority figures doesn't require courage if I don't realize what I am doing.  Any object in motion can slam into something.  It is the calculated decision to do so, knowing full well what the consequences are that makes it semi intelligent.  It may be right, or wrong, but knowing what I am doing changes everything.

The same is true even when the consequences are less threatening.  Doing, or not doing, something because it is right requires intelligence, courage and . . . love.

Children do things because it feels good, because making people frown, or look angry feels bad.  Getting past that takes more than growing taller, or getting a wrinkled face.