Respect My Authoritay!

Got an email from an extreme individualist the other day. All I could think was that extreme individualism is just as stupid as extreme authoritarianism. While Humanism does emphasize individual autonomy, That doesn’t make us anti-authority. What is needed is a balance between the two. Admittedly, finding the right balance is hard But it is much better then blinding choosing an extreme to avoid thinking about the nuances. In this matter I refer to the authority of John Stuart Mill “In the conduct of human beings towards one another, it is necessary that general rules should for the most part be observed, in order that people know what to expect; but in each person’s own concerns, his spontaneity is entitled to free exercise.” “All errors which he is likely to commit against advice and warning are far outweighed by the evil of allowing others to constrain him to what they deem his good.” When balancing authoritarianism and individualism, Humanists prefer to err on the side of individualism.