<p>Well, not so much "grade" my essay as look it over and tell me how I can improve. Thank you in advance!</p>
<p>The prompt is from BB#1.</p>
<p>[Sometimes it is necessary to challenge what people in authority claim to be true. Although some respect for authority is, no doubt, necessary for any group or organization to function, questioning the people in charge -- even if they are experts or leaders in their fields -- makes us better thinkers. It forces all concerned to defend old ideas and decisions and to consider new ones. Sometimes it can even correct old errors in thought and put an end to wrong actions.]</p>
<p>Assignment: Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in positions of authority? </p>
<p>Essay:</p>
<pre><code> A conventional wisdom regarding people in authority is that they are humans, too, and therefore are subject to making mistakes. Therefore, an organization or a government in which the leaders merely dictate without being in any way challenged is doomed to failure. In fact, history has proven that often times new insights or changes start not from those in power, but from those who are out of power desiring to challenge the status quo.
Take, for instance, Edward Snowden, the twenty-first century whistle blower who handed over tremendous amount of security information of the U.S. government to people, asserting that the National Security Agency has violated people's privacy. It is arguable whether we should regard him as a traitor or as a savior of people's rights to know. However, that he brought the issue of privacy to the public has heled the Americans not only to know the truth, but to object to possible wrongdoings that the government might be committing.
In education, too, challenging authority is often welcolmed, if not encouraged. It is not to say kids disobeying their teachers are good. On the contrary, those students who go beyond what they're being taught and challenge it ultimately have potentials as creative, independent-minded people. For instance, in my Honors Physics Class, the students are divided roughly over whether they question the material presented before they understand it. That means every time the teacher teachers something new, asking not only how but why that is true. Reasonably, those students who question everything have a better understanding of the subject than those who merely listen. Also, on the teacher's part, engaging the students to speak up and challenge the concepts taught is important because it helps them understand.
Unlike in classroom settings, in business organizations challenging authority is not only necessary, but also crucial in their survival. Imagine a company in which only the CEO or the people on the top speak up and the rest of the employers merely follows. It would have no problem if the authorities are doing a decent job, but they're likely to make fallacious judgements or mistakes, and the absence of voices that can counteract or monitor them objectively means the company is vulnerable to making wrong decisions.
In history, too, challenging the authority has proven beneficial for social progress, even if it sometimes cost people's lives. In 18th century America, for example, the American Revolution in which the Americans gained independence from Great Britain became a landmark of freedom around the world. Likewise, in a world in which nothing is perfect and plenty to fix, without people constantly questioning and re-evaluating the authority, it is not likely that we will have a fair, just society.
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