In the news today, there is a lot of talk about institutions that are present in our lives. How important is it to respect those institutions?
There are many organizations and structures — institutions — that exist in modern day society. Some help people, but some are used to take advantage of them. Some maintain fairness for everyone, but others make discrimination and unfairness official.
There is also a growing movement to radically change or even dismantle some of these structures. That instinct is understandable, particularly when they are perceived to be causing an injustice of some sort.
One problem that arises is that different groups disagree on which organizations are beneficial, and which ones need to be reformed. I might think that Department A is important, but Department B is not. You, on the other hand, feel the exact opposite. What should we do?
Two questions seem relevant: 1) How do we determine the relative importance of each individual institution? 2) In the case where an institution needs change, what is the best way to implement that change?
Our society thrives on stability. The stock market depends on it. Consumer confidence relies on it. Even an individual’s sense of safety and security in their community can be impacted by instability.
With that in mind, should we be making changes to our institutions at all? Even the ones that could be made more fair and even? But if we don’t change, are we accepting the flaws that currently exist in the system?
In many ways, our lives are ruled by the structures all around us. Do we show them respect, and what does “respect” even mean in this instance?
Related questions: How important is respect? What role should government play in our lives? Who has power? What are our responsibilities to others?