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"I am an obedient instrument of my tribes authority, above all else"
I signal my obedience because it works. I know that the better I can signal my obedience, the more likely I am to climb socially and economically in the tribe. This is the golden rule of obedience.
There are no exceptions to obedience within a society *. All members of a tribe do it because it works. Just because you are super wealthy or powerful does not exempt you. You only got there because you have managed to signal obedience better than all the rest. And your tribe conferred that wealth and power onto you because of it. Only ignorant fools complain about wealth and power through jealousy. For all of us are hard at it too.
To cover up the inevitable shame and guilt of one's self induced obedience slavery, all tribe members use a theatre of virtue to keep our shame hidden. This theatre comprises the following language and activities: following the science, using observed fact, planet saving, doing charity, showing empathy, paying our taxes, following the law, helping the poor and so on and so on.
These things are all on the face of it admirable virtues. But in the most important way to us as obedient signallers, they are really a masquerade we hide behind as surface protection from the guilt and shame of our wilful obedience to authority - the most pernicious form of slavery. Though this helps in the short term, there is no escape from the ultimate damaging effects on our psyche if we proceed with wilful obedience to our tribe, which must mean slavery.
We can see this playing out today as entire ancient nations give up the honour of those who came before them, due to the guilt and shame. Not because of prior guilt, but the current guilt and shame of being extant slaves right now! This factor is a significant part of obedience theory - the idea that we're all obedient instruments of authority above all else.
And tribal law makes it very hard to accept our shame and guilt - we have chosen an authority to whom we are obedient. This means we can also project blame onto this authority to escape from our guilt and shame. An ideal escape route which helps us to continue being obedient ironically. But just another sham.
There are unlimited ways to signal obedience and the form of the signalling is not important. So it adds nothing to lay out the best examples. Whatever you can do in a public display which shows you are loyal and obedient to your tribe is enough. It only matters that you are seen to be signalling it as strongly as you can in that time and place and depending on the relative merits of doing so in any particular situation. e.g. when there is not much social conflict, less signalling is required. And visa versa.
Why do we all do this as large groups of people - collectives/tribes? Because it works, in the short term. If you signal well the tribe will reward you. If you do not it will punish you. It is observed, yet forbidden.
Signalling obedience is the act of a proper slave. So slavery is extant, through our systemic obedience to authority. It's important you understand exactly what I mean by authority here - it isn't a person acting autonomously but a large group of people acting obediently. In spite of the identity politics that selects a 'privileged class' to monopolise slave identity, we're all still very much slaves. Slavery still very much exists. We submit ourselves to this slavery willingly as slaves have always done - there is always the free land to run to but we chose to avoid that action. Slavery is bigger than it has ever been before. Let's say that slavery is now globalised. Signalling our obedience to our preferred tribe is a strong signal it's happening, right in front of our faces.
In ancient primordial times obedience and signalling obedience to authority was essential to maintain the tribe's existence. Nature could easily wipe out a tribe instantly by acts of God. So a hierarchy was mandatory for the tribe's preservation. And anyone not acting obediently to the tribe's authority was rightly considered extremely dangerous to the tribe and were always sent into exile, a virtual death sentence. This was always considered 'justice' back then because survival of the tribe depended on it. It was authentic justice back then and rightly so. Slavery back then was totally required and considered perfectly normal.
I call this the first evolution of man.
Today slavery is seen as abnormal because humanity is in the middle of an evolutionary transition. Where:
- in the past slavery was mandatory and right
- and now and in the future autonomy is mandatory and right
So what about today - Is there still a shortage of anything, at all. Are there any existential threats any more. Will aliens invade us and take over?
No! Though these ideas are widely and deeply held by the obedient mind signalling strongly, they are preposterous of course. Society has developed so well, that per capita there is more wealth available than ever before by a very long way in spite of a growing population. This has made it almost impossible for acts of God to threaten the tribe any more. Sure, there will be a comet which wipes out the earth in 100 million years probabilistically. Then why not devote this unbounded wealth to attending to that in advance already?
The point is, that we no longer need ancient primordial tribes, their hierarchies and obedience structures to protect us from acts of God. Only the stupidity of proceeding with them remains a threat. And comets.
Suffice to say that if you still signal obedience to authority of any kind, you are part of the problem. The remedy is to choose autonomy.
*NOTE: the only exceptions are those who have chosen autonomy over obedience as a way to live their lives and make decisions. We discuss autonomy at length elsewhere on the blog