Our Authoritarian Culture

Definitions

Let us start with simple definitions. Based on these, we will observe the current state of society and then examine standard definitions.

• Authority: A person making decisions for a group.
• Authoritarian organization/society: An organization/society where authority is the central organizing element.
• Authoritarianism: A theory that asserts that good social organization is based on authorities.

Is Our Society Authoritarian ?

Schools, businesses, the state, and political decision-making function based on authorities. As this constitutes the majority of the framework of people’s lives, our society is clearly authoritarian.

Is Our Society Authoritarianist

Generally, if you ask someone whether it is normal to obey authority in schools, companies, etc., they will answer yes. A good indicator of an authoritarianist society is the absence of ideas about functioning in ways other than through authority.

Thus, our society is clearly authoritarianist.

Note: There is no shame in being authoritarianist. Feeling ashamed about it itself originates from the authoritarianist society! (See below on Augustine of Hippo).

History Through the Lens of Decision-Making

Looking at human history through the lens of basic organizational structures allows us to gain a highly structured and synthetic perspective.

• Initially, humanity lived in small groups of hunter-gatherers. The organizational need was much lower than today, and although there was a good diversity of functioning, there are frequent accounts of much more egalitarian organization compared to today.
• Transitioning to agriculture increased organizational demands. People couldn’t simply leave; they accumulated material goods (tools, seeds, etc.) that needed management. Society grew increasingly complex and structured. The demand for structure became so high that authority was increasingly emphasized, eventually leading to dual authorities: spiritualand material. A significant turning point was the invention of the original sin by the religious figure Augustine of Hippo around the year 400, as it encouraged humanity to disparage its own nature and enter a state of madnessin favor of authoritarianism.
• With the advent of technology and commerce, society transitioned from wealth centered on territory and population control to a more sophisticated form based on capital. This required a more intelligent and complex organization that the dual authority model could not fulfill. Necessity being the mother of invention, a new structure emerged centered on capital-related authorities. The former spiritual power is played out by media with big money, and material power by authorities:

  For more intelligence-driven organs (e.g., deputies, CEOs):

  These are chosen based on their capacity to favor efficient capital management, as fierce competition, vital dependence on capital, and repercussions for rare dissenting behaviors leave no other choice.

  For other organs:

  These are appointed by higher authorities, often based on competence criteria.

• The Information Society (knowledge, science, technology, culture, internet, etc.) has introduced a new intelligence crisis. With society reaching its maximum size (touching the planet's physical limits), the consequences of this lack of intelligence directly affect the planet. In many areas, alternative movements have produced significantly less or non-authoritarian versions: education, family dynamics, businesses, associations, and have challenged the devaluation of human nature. What remains is a form adapted to large, complex organizations with high-stakes challenges.

Comparison with Standard Definitions

Authority

Same meaning

Authoritarian

The dictionary definition is: Of, or relating to, or exhibiting strict obedience to an authority; favoring authoritarianism over civic and individual liberties..

It is an adjective defined by comparison to a standard (like "tall," but unlike "blue"). If there is no adjective outside this framework (as in our case, where there is no adjective signifying that authority is the central organizing element), this means that thought is confined to this framework. Thus, our authoritarian culture has created mental barriers that prevent us from seeing it as it is.

Authoritarianism

The dictionary definition is: A form of government in which the governing body has absolute, or almost absolute, control. Typically, this control is maintained by force, and little heed is paid to public opinion or the judicial system.

Again, we encounter the same problem as with "authoritarian," as this definition relies on comparative adjectives. Therefore, everything depends on the level of normal arbitrariness. For instance, absolute control might mean, in practice, that a police officer is almost never punished for illegal coercive or violent actions, or it could mean political assassinations exist.