Authority Quote by David Foster Wallace
““Someone who had authority, or should have had authority and did not exercise authority. I do not know. But someone sometime let you forget how to choose, and what. Someone let your peoples forget it was the only thing of importance, choosing. So completely forgetting that when I say choose to you you make expressions with your face such as “Herrrrrre we are going.” Someone taught that temples are for fanatics only and took away the temples and promised there was no need for temples. And now there is no shelter. And no map for finding the shelter of a temple. And you all stumble about in the dark, this confusion of permissions.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Unknown, possibly interview or public talk, date unknown
A critique of lost authority and guidance, leading to confusion and lack of direction in moral choices.
In simple terms: Loss of guidance causes confusion in choices.
Key Takeaway
Seek clear principles and personal responsibility.
Themes
authority
choice
confusion
morality
guidance
Mood
reflective
critical
concerned
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- personal decision making
- community leadership
- ethical education
Key Concepts
philosophy
political theory
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals reclaim personal agency?
- What structures can replace lost authority?
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)