Social acceptance of higher authority questioned in I-Week panel discussion

“What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?”

The words of American writer Henry David Thoreau kicked off an I-Week panel discussion on Tuesday titled “The Necessity of Breaking the Law as a Democratic Act.”

The panel discussion was led by Pearl Gregor, a U of A instructor, who addressed the topic of social codes embracing obedience for law and order within democracy. Audience members were also given the chance to speak aloud and raise ideas.

Gregor spoke in depth of how society obeys the authority of the law, and how the mainstream acceptance of higher power has established itself as a social norm.

Attendees were encouraged to grow more aware of their social and political surroundings, and to look at power systems analytically.

“Most of the time, we are completely unconscious of the fact that we are unconscious,” Gregor said. “Democracy is about the freedom to act.”

Occupy Wall Street was one of the events examined, and Gregor believes that mass collaboration like the Occupy movement is necessary to bring reform to democracy.

“Occupy Wall Street is a leaderless revolution. When there is a leader of a revolution, they want to become the next dictator,” Gregor said.

“To live together in a culture, you need respect and consensus, and you need to include more voices than just the one per cent.”

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