Authority Quote by Glenn Greenwald
““what goals drive all institutions of authority. “Doing something wrong,” in the eyes of such institutions, encompasses far more than illegal acts, violent behavior, and terrorist plots. It typically extends to meaningful dissent and any genuine challenge. It is the nature of authority to equate dissent with wrongdoing, or at least with a threat.””
About This Quote
Source Article: "The Nature of Authority", 2018
Authority often conflates dissent with wrongdoing, expanding the definition of crime to suppress challenges.
In simple terms: Authority equates dissent with crime.
Key Takeaway
Question and hold power accountable.
Themes
politics
law
civil liberties
Mood
analytical
concerned
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- activism
- journalism
- legal reform
- public policy
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
free speech
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards protect dissent?
- How can societies balance security and freedom?
A Different Perspective
Overbroad definitions can erode legitimate protest.
![“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)
