--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Authority, as you usually think of it, is…" description: "\"Authority, as you usually think of it, is merely the excuse the strong use to make others conform to what they want.\" — William P. Young" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/william-p-young-3038_authority_authority-as-you-usually-think-of-it-is_1021019.jpg" --- # Authority, as you usually think of it, is merely the… ![“Authority, as you usually think of it, is merely the excuse the strong use to make others conform to what they want.” quote by William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/william-p-young-3038_authority_authority-as-you-usually-think-of-it-is_1021019.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/william-p-young-3038_authority_authority-as-you-usually-think-of-it-is_1021019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/william-p-young-3038_authority_authority-as-you-usually-think-of-it-is_1021019.jpg) > “Authority, as you usually think of it, is merely the excuse the strong use to make others conform to what they want.” [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authority is often a tool used by the powerful to enforce conformity to their desires. **In simple terms:** Power uses authority to make others obey. Key Takeaway Question and challenge unjust authority. Themes authority power conformity ethics control Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - workplace dynamics - government mandates - social movements Key Concepts political theory social psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - When is authority justified? - How do we balance order and freedom? A Different Perspective Authority can be justified in legitimate contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Authority Usually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority-usually-810323/) [Conform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conform/) [Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) [Excuse Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse-strong-2276705/) [Make Conform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-conform-2276706/) [Merely Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merely-excuse-1618383/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [When you chose independence over relationship, you became a danger to one another. Others became objects to be manipulated or managed for your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/when-you-chose-independence-over-relationship-you-became-a-danger-to/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [The desire to order other people around and make them conform to one own's vision takes many forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-desire-to-order-other-people-around-and-make-them-conform-to-one/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Lies, is what you would tell me for an excuse, But now that I'm strong its time for me to let this weather get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayla-l-reyna/lies-is-what-you-would-tell-me-for-an-excuse-but-now-that-i-m-strong/) [Kayla L Reyna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayla-l-reyna/) > [It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-often-merely-for-an-excuse-that-we-say-things-are-impossible/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“The first impression is the truth, and all that follows is merely the excuse of memory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-crumey/the-first-impression-is-the-truth-and-all-that-follows-is-merely-the/) [Andrew Crumey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-crumey/) > [Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/nothing-is-impossible-there-are-ways-that-lead-to-everything-and-if/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I call religion a natural authority, but it has usually been conceived as a supernatural authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/i-call-religion-a-natural-authority-but-it-has-usually-been-conceived/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [“How does the Authority usually handle storms like this?” “Not well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-monk/how-does-the-authority-usually-handle-storms-like-this-not-well/) [Devon Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-monk/) > [Those who enjoy responsibility usually get it; those who merely like exercising authority usually lose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/those-who-enjoy-responsibility-usually-get-it-those-who-merely-like/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Want to depose the government of a poor country with resources? Want to bash Muslims? Want to build support for American military interventions around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/want-to-depose-the-government-of-a-poor-country-with-resources-want/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [What draws friends together does not conform to the laws of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/what-draws-friends-together-does-not-conform-to-the-laws-of-nature/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## More by William P. Young > [I don't want my kids growing up with the image of God that I had -- Plato's white grandfatherly god -- because that god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-don-t-want-my-kids-growing-up-with-the-image-of-god-that-i-had/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Because you continue to inhabit and believe your metaphors, you cannot see what is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/because-you-continue-to-inhabit-and-believe-your-metaphors-you-cannot/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself-and-control-the-people-who/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-to-protect-and-administer-it/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“(Jesus speaking) "An awful lot of what is done in my name has nothing to do with me and is often, even if unintentional,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/jesus-speaking-an-awful-lot-of-what-is-done-in-my-name-has-nothing-to/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [This life is only the anteroom of a greater reality to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/this-life-is-only-the-anteroom-of-a-greater-reality-to-come/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [I often find that getting head issues out of the way first makes the heart stuff easier to work on later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-often-find-that-getting-head-issues-out-of-the-way-first-makes-the/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [For me, everything is about Jesus and Father and the Holy Spirit, and relationships, and life is an adventure of faith lived one day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/for-me-everything-is-about-jesus-and-father-and-the-holy-spirit-and/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Relationships are never about power, and one way to avoid the will to hold power over another is to chose to limit to onself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/relationships-are-never-about-power-and-one-way-to-avoid-the-will-to/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [It is my desire and intent to trust the multi-layered good purposes of God than in what humans fabricate out of their need and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/it-is-my-desire-and-intent-to-trust-the-multi-layered-good-purposes/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Jesus was always challenging the dogma of religion. So, you know, it's not like I'm out there by myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/jesus-was-always-challenging-the-dogma-of-religion-so-you-know-it-s/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [If anything matters, then everything matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/if-anything-matters-then-everything-matters/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [I don't just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were able, which you are not, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-don-t-just-want-a-piece-of-you-and-a-piece-of-your-life-even-if-you/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/trust-is-the-fruit-of-a-relationship-in-which-you-know-you-are-loved/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Something in the heart of most human beings simply cannot abide pain inflicted on the innocent, especially children. Even broken men serving in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/something-in-the-heart-of-most-human-beings-simply-cannot-abide-pain/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) [Explore all 138 William P. Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. 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Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Authority, as you usually think of it, is merely the excuse the strong use to make others conform to what they want.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William P. 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