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giblfiz · 08-21-2003, 01:36 AM

I generally fall in on the side of Yourneverthere and WhoaitZ, though perhaps a bit more moderate in my approach.

For now though, I'm going to do my best to explain what I perceive to be the answer to yourneverthere's question.

The cop has the right to push you around because it is his job. He gains and looses this "right" based on if he is on the clock or off of it. The training is actually totally irrelevant (though its a prerequisite for the job, its not involved in the granting of authority) as is the car, the gun, and the badge.

He is probably "just doing his job" and many, even most people take that as a justification of what you refer to as his ego. He in fact probably doesn't have as much ego as you think he does, but is simply telling you to move because that's what they pay him to do.

The more interesting question is why is employed to tell you what to do, and where does the government get the power to grant him authority to tell you what to do.

The short and super simple answer to why people pay him to tell you what to do is that the government wants to maintain some level of control over its citizenry. In theory, and ideally it is supposed to be doing this in a form which improves the general well being of the population. Sadly as is often the case theory and practice have a tendency to deviate.

The governmental authority which is lent to the police comes primarily from two sources. The first is raw power... as in the barrel of a gun. Like it or not there is a strong element of "might makes right" inherent in the world, or perhaps more accurately "might makes in charge". The reason you cannot exercises your might to push people around is because an organization far mightier than you (the government) has effectively blackmailed you by saying "you beat anyone up, we beat you up" The officer on the other hand generally has the support of the government.

The second source of governmental authority is more subtle, but also quite potent. Public approval of the government. If the public approves, weather its because they believe the government is ordained by god, or because they think it represents their own will, they lend their strength to it. This more or less boils down to the idea that if the population approves, then the authority is granted. The population seems to grudgingly approve of the government, and by extrapolation the police. To return to your example of "ego" the cops ego when he tells you to move is essentially being temporarily inflated by the encouragement of everyone in the community who supports the government, which is a damed lot of people.

As far as not wanting to participate, see source of power one. As far as this not being fare, just, moral or good, well address all complaints to god, cause that just seems to be how things are.

08-21-2003, 01:36 AM	#38 (permalink)
giblfiz is a shoggoth Location: LA	I generally fall in on the side of Yourneverthere and WhoaitZ, though perhaps a bit more moderate in my approach. For now though, I'm going to do my best to explain what I perceive to be the answer to yourneverthere's question. The cop has the right to push you around because it is his job. He gains and looses this "right" based on if he is on the clock or off of it. The training is actually totally irrelevant (though its a prerequisite for the job, its not involved in the granting of authority) as is the car, the gun, and the badge. He is probably "just doing his job" and many, even most people take that as a justification of what you refer to as his ego. He in fact probably doesn't have as much ego as you think he does, but is simply telling you to move because that's what they pay him to do. The more interesting question is why is employed to tell you what to do, and where does the government get the power to grant him authority to tell you what to do. The short and super simple answer to why people pay him to tell you what to do is that the government wants to maintain some level of control over its citizenry. In theory, and ideally it is supposed to be doing this in a form which improves the general well being of the population. Sadly as is often the case theory and practice have a tendency to deviate. The governmental authority which is lent to the police comes primarily from two sources. The first is raw power... as in the barrel of a gun. Like it or not there is a strong element of "might makes right" inherent in the world, or perhaps more accurately "might makes in charge". The reason you cannot exercises your might to push people around is because an organization far mightier than you (the government) has effectively blackmailed you by saying "you beat anyone up, we beat you up" The officer on the other hand generally has the support of the government. The second source of governmental authority is more subtle, but also quite potent. Public approval of the government. If the public approves, weather its because they believe the government is ordained by god, or because they think it represents their own will, they lend their strength to it. This more or less boils down to the idea that if the population approves, then the authority is granted. The population seems to grudgingly approve of the government, and by extrapolation the police. To return to your example of "ego" the cops ego when he tells you to move is essentially being temporarily inflated by the encouragement of everyone in the community who supports the government, which is a damed lot of people. As far as not wanting to participate, see source of power one. As far as this not being fare, just, moral or good, well address all complaints to god, cause that just seems to be how things are. __________________ Use the star one and you'll be fighting off the old ones with your bare hands -A Shoggoth on the Roof