The most dangerous religion in the world is no longer the state. The most dangerous religion in the world is now the growing anti-authoritarian movement. In ancient times, warlords were the greatest threat to human communities. For a long time, it was the churches that aided the states: the Catholic and Protestant churches, and in Asia also state Islam. In the West at least, the rule of the churches is almost a thing of the past. States still seem to be the greatest threat. But the power of the states is increasingly dwindling. Who would have thought 10 years ago that a supranational corporation like Twitter could simply block the once “most powerful man in the world,” the president, because the corporation didn’t like what he posted?
Corporations avoid authority like the plague
In fact, today Herrschaft (lat. potetas, rule) is increasingly exercised by corporations. For these, however, it is now essential that they are all anti-authoritarian in their dealings with their customers. They base their entire Herrschaft (rule) on formally voluntary contracts. But we all know that we as customers cannot influence the content of the contract. We have to take the terms and conditions, the community guidelines, as they are presented to us. Or we simply have to do without the offer.
Exkurs für deutsche Leser: Versteht meine Kritik an Anti-Autorität nicht als Kritik an den freien Markt per se. Dieser funktioniert besser, wie Staaten, das ist klar. Gerade zB erhielt ich eine ausführliche und freundliche Antwort von dem deutschen SEO-Unternehmen Seokratie.de mit Sitz in München.
Und ja: ich las dort einige Texte, die ich informativ fand. Und so wurde Seokratie.de für mich eine SEO-Autorität, an die ich mich zaghaft wendete. Ohne Kunde zu sein oder werden zu können. Dazu fehlt einem Philosophen natürlich das Geld 🙂 Ich glaube, der Konzern Vodafone, der zu den Kunden von Seokratie.de gehört, kann kaum besser behandelt werden, als ich, der so einfach mal aus dem Nichts auftaucht. Dafür bedanke ich mich. Danke, Lisa, von SEOKRATIE.de! Seokratie.de ist ein unternehmensgeführter Betrieb! Hier, wie bei Tesla oder sogar einsmals Apple, gibt es noch Autorität. Ein wichtiger Unterschied.
Just like the state, corporations tolerate no other god besides their ever Holy Scripture. The sacred scripture today is the contract. The ancient kingdoms legitimized their rules with the approval of God, represented by the churches. Today’s large corporations legitimize their rule by contract. No. That is no improvement! The contract is intended to abrogate authority. Among business people, the spoken word still applies in Germany, different from the USA. German Entrepreneurs know:
If I want to cheat, then I have a lawyer draw up a nifty contract. If I want an honest deal, then I make a deal with a handshake.
The aberration of the anti-authoritarian movements
In the increasingly popular libertarian movements, opposition is not primarily directed against the state, but against membership in states by birth alone. They demand that membership in the „states” of the future, which they call voluntary communities, in German more aptly „Privatrechtsgesellschaft“ (Private Law Society), be by terminable contracts alone. They justify this all! morally. That means: they demand that this basis should apply universally to all people. Every other authority except the holy contract must be destroyed. ANY demand as a basis to societies that is not freely “agreed upon” in contract is morally repudiated as evil.
Above all, authority is being fought. We have seen this for a long time in corporations worldwide in the flattening of hierarchies. Whereas two decades ago in Germany, for example, an employee could trustingly address a concern to the „Meister“ (foreman), who could then bring it to the management level with his authority, this has long since disappeared. The worker is left with the legal department or can and should express his opinion in surveys; so that the company can constantly optimize employee management in terms of the company’s success. No one any longer assumes any responsibility beyond their job description, which is precisely defined in a quality manual.
Auctoritas vs Potestas
I excelled all in influence [auctoritas], although I possessed no more official power [potestas] than others
Augustus, the first Roman Emperor
!["I excelled all in influence [auctoritas], although I possessed no more official power [potestas] than others." This said Augustus, the first Emperor. Auctoritas vs. potestass: we mean ist, when we say: No Rights, Just Mights](https://i0.wp.com/gocynic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Statue-Augustus.jpeg?w=300&ssl=1)
These are the words of the first Roman emperor. They are not true, but they make the difference between two extremely different powers.
I only got my first job as a social worker because I had worked in the penal system before I graduated. The director of the home believed that I could handle a very difficult group of children and adolescents with appropriate harshness. Admittedly, he was wrong about my methods. But in the end I was successful.
Essential for the success was not least parrhesia, the cynical virtue, which is also very useful in social work. In any case, after about half a year in this orphanage, I had gained an authority, with the children and with the other staff members, that went far beyond the formal power of the orphanage director. The children did what I wanted them to do. And they did it gladly. The other staff members were amazed at the atmosphere in our home and followed my example, respectively that of my team. I had no potestas (formal power of command) there at all, but an influence (auctoritas) that I never had again to such a degree, although after that I only had management functions in my professional life.
The slogan “No Rights Just Mights” is essential for cynical anarchism. I’m even thinking of having it tattooed on my arm. It is the basis of our concept of freedom. But it does not mean “The Right of the Strongest” at all. For the strongest needs no right. And also we don’t need rights. For we cynics reject every right. For us, right equals Herrschaft (rule, domination, lat. potestas) and thus a curtailment of power (lat. auctoritas). If the strongest at the moment wants to monopolize, that is to legalize his power he also betrays his own might, his chance to develop authority, to become a king, as Jesus was a king. In the same way that the Romantic Novalis urges us to become fit for the throne ourselves, to develop the authority of a king.
