Character Quote by Kevin Fedarko
““Among many other things, those dirtbag river runners uphold the virtue of disobedience: the principle that in a free society, defiance for its own sake sometimes carries value and meaning, if only because power in all of its forms—commercial, governmental, and moral—should not always and without question be handed what it demands. What””
About This Quote
Source Article: “River Runners and the Ethics of Disobedience” (2021) (journal)
Disobedience can be virtuous in a free society when it challenges unjust power structures, even for its own sake.
In simple terms: Defying authority can be valuable when it opposes unjust power.
Key Takeaway
Question authority when it harms the common good.
Themes
disobedience
ethics
power
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- activism
- environmental advocacy
- community organizing
- policy reform
Key Concepts
civil disobedience
social justice
Questions to Reflect On
- When is disobedience justified?
- What safeguards prevent harmful rebellion?
A Different Perspective
Uncontrolled defiance may cause chaos or unintended harm.
![“Disobedience, in the eyes of any one who has read history, is [hu]man's original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8c8/oscar-wilde-16_character_disobedience-in-the-eyes-of-any-one-who_2197666.jpg)
