Invisible Man: Obedience

Prompt: 
The Brotherhood wants to tell the people in Harlem what to think, rather than allow them to draw their own conclusions. The military is also an organization where people are expected to simply obey orders and are not supposed to think for themselves unless they are of an upper rank. School officials expect students to obey rules and do not usually anticipate that a student will think about a rule before complying. 

Brainstorm additional situations in which unquestioning obedience is expected. When is it okay to simply expect obedience? When should people be encouraged to think for themselves? How can a person tell when being told not to "think" is an attempt to put down or limit opportunities and actions of a particular group?




Ever since the day we are born, we are forced to accept the rules that our parents, legal guardians have put upon us. It is okay to obey them but after a while we have to make our own rules and take care of ourselves. Once we turn into adults, our values and beliefs adapt to how we live and what we do. Our society has laws in which we have to obey by as well. We all have to follow these laws for the safety of others and ourselves. When we have a job, we are expected to follow the rules of the company or person we are working for. I believe that everywhere we go, we have a set of rules to follow by, whether it be written in the books or rules made by our society. I believe that it's okay to disobey these rules when it is harming you or other people. If it doesn't seem fair and you don't follow by it then you shouldn't. It's okay to follow the rules but it is not okay to be stripped from your freedom.