Growing up here in The Gambia, one of the values instilled in us as children is obedience to adults and authority figures.
The more traditional the setting, the deeper the obedience to the elders or authority figures. This obedience to authority is often hierarchical, meaning, in a family, the younger siblings are required to be obedient to the older siblings; all the siblings are are required to be obedient to their parents, the parents to their own parents or community elders and so and so forth.
And I must also point out that the obedience structure favored men and was also sometimes discriminatory against certain groups of people. So it is not a perfect system by any means.
Growing up, we are not only taught to be obedient to our elders and and authority figures, we are also taught to be obedient to prevailing conditions around us. The way of our ancestors.
The way things are done in our community. Our culture. Our traditions are not meant for rigorous questioning. We are taught to accept these things and not question a lot. And sometimes, such obedience was necessary for the smooth functioning of our family relationships, community relations etc. Essentially, obedience can be a necessary ingredient for peace and harmony.
But obedience can only stretch so far. Obedience to an individual or authority must never transplant one’s principles and conscience. If obedience to an individual or authority goes against your principles, conscience or better judgment, one should grow a spine and not acquiesce. Doing so is what I call it untamed obedience. That is the obedience where one accepts almost anything asked of them by an authority figure or elder in the family.
Untamed obedience is meekness on crack, it’s subservience gone amok. Most of all, it is dangerous because it leads to unthinking zombies who do not question anything. You hear such things as it’s “a directive from so and so”!
Untamed obedience is that which allows a person to accept anything that an authority or elder figure imposes on them.
Untamed obedience is doing what you’re told to do without any questioning on your part.
Untamed obedience is when one thinks everything your authority figure says is never to be questioned. Untamed obedience is what allows the politician to lie to a population and never gets called out on the lies.
Untamed obedience is what allows an authority figure to abuse those around them. It allows for the trusted to molest the child. Allows the powerful to abuse their power. When untamed obedience is paired with mindless loyalty, it leads to devastating consequences not just for the individual but for society as a whole.
What our elders taught us is obedience! Not untamed obedience for we have also been taught to be upright in our dealings with others. To honor others. To respect others. To value others. Treat others as we would want to be treated. To stand up for our rights and not let anyone bully us into submission. None of these values is values is compatible with untamed obedience.
Untamed obedience is not a substitute for patriotism for patriots live and die by what benefits their country first.
Untamed obedience is not a substitute for one’s conscience because the conscientious lives for tomorrow and not just for the moment. Our elders taught us that a “clear conscience makes a soft pillow.” Don’t let your obedience run amok for you will need sleep at some point and you will need that soft pillow!
