# Social stability question **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276 "2015-10-31T18:32:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrQwertyasd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@MrQwertyasd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrQwertyasd)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/1 "2015-10-31T18:32:15Z")
Are [color=#000000]obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues children should learn ? [/COLOR] ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/2 "2015-10-31T18:38:40Z")
No - Self reliance and Pride in themselves. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/3 "2015-10-31T18:56:37Z")
**Moderator Action** What is most important is more a matter of opinion than fact, so off to IMHO this goes. Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/4 "2015-10-31T19:00:30Z")
> [@MrQwertyasd](#): > > Are [color=#000000]obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues children should learn ? > [/COLOR] If you want to raise good peasants/slaves it’s fine. If you want your children to have a chance at financial and personal success in a modern first world country I’d say other things are more important. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/5 "2015-10-31T19:29:01Z")
I would say it is important but not the most important. I can’t think of a situation where a child or young adult would never be in a situation where they needed to follow directions. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/6 "2015-10-31T19:29:24Z")
To keep a stable society, children, and a lot of adults, need to be taught how a stable society exists. It is of course complicated. But they need to know how their actions or inaction can come round to bite them in the butt. Obedience is negative. Knowledge of how by generally following good rules, it is good for all, is a powerful social glue. Respect for authority is earned by the authority. The authority must be transparent and fair. Proving itself to be worthy of respect. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/7 "2015-10-31T20:20:07Z")
Nope. Children should be taught to be self-reliant, to question authority, and to treat all others as equals. Also, that there are consequences for all actions. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/8 "2015-10-31T20:23:53Z")
Children are very helpful when pan handling and begging for spare change. If you can find some crutches or a wheelchair to use as a prop, that alone is worth about $20 an hour extra. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/9 "2015-11-02T03:48:30Z")
Cleanliness and how to get schwifty are the most important values. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/10 "2015-11-02T04:20:28Z")
No. My parents encouraged me to question authority. I would agree with those who said self reliance ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/11 "2015-11-02T05:48:28Z")
Yeah my parents told me to question authority, and I said “Why?!” And they couldn’t give a good answer. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/12 "2015-11-02T16:59:57Z")
I was taught to question everything and everybody and never accept the status quo. In many ways, I’m thankful for that upbringing, but it was a struggle to learn to go along when going along was required. To this day I tend to suspect everything I’m told. Again, this has good points, but also bad ones. I’d agree that the best things you can do for a child are to teach him/her self-reliance and curiousity. But there’s nothing wrong with offering respect to those older and more experienced than yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/13 "2015-11-02T17:06:35Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > If you want to raise good peasants/slaves it’s fine. … Exactly, so … yes to the OP. Get used to peasantry, kids! ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/14 "2015-11-02T17:11:54Z")
> [@MrQwertyasd](#): > > Are [color=#000000]obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues children should learn ? > [/COLOR] Nope. Not even in the top 10. ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/15 "2015-11-02T17:22:00Z")
Not just no, but HELL NO! They better refuse to do things that are not right even if I am the one telling them to do it. They better demand that authority proves it deserves respect before they even give it tacit agreement. Neither obedience nor respect for authority are a virtue. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/16 "2015-11-02T17:22:40Z")
No. It’s not like all parents understand that, and it’s likely to lead to the opposite result. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-stability-question/736276/17 "2015-11-02T17:31:56Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > No. It’s not like all parents understand that, and it’s likely to lead to the opposite result. My father, a pediatrician, used to tell me “the last thing you want is a well behaved child.”