“Do not succumb to the prejudices of the times, imagining that what you need to do to gain people’s loyalty is to seem to be their equal or their friend.”
The Laws of Human Nature, Chapter 15, The Law of Fickleness
We live in such democratic times, constantly being told that we are all equal, that we are all entitled to an opinion, that leaders are unnecessary, that we are each capable of ruling ourselves and others.
Why should we ever have to follow a person of authority and assume an inferior role?
Authority is a relic of Kings and Queens, people in power exist to simply fulfil their duties—why should we be forced to adhere to outdated traditions of the past?
This disdain for authority and leadership has filtered its way throughout our culture.
We no longer recognise genuine authority and expertise.
Everyone is a legitimate critic, and standards are now personal and subjective—nobody’s tastes or skills should be seen as superior.
Moreover, leaders in almost every realm have given in to this push towards incessant fairness and equality.
Now more than ever we see those in positions of power pandering to the masses, seeking to constantly earn people’s immediate appreciation through appearing likeable and democratic.
Leaders have started to believe that they are more likely caretakers, there to stand back and enable the group to make the right decisions, doing everything by consensus.
Whether it be monarchs, politicians, parents, business leaders, or romantic partners, those who assume positions of authority are committed to presenting themselves as equals to their subordinates, even taking pride in the sense of fairness they exude in doing so.
This attitude, whilst it may satisfy people’s surface-level disdain for authority, represents a fundamental misunderstanding of human nature and leadership.
The truth is, we humans unconsciously crave strong, decisive, composed, effective, even slightly aloof leaders.
We want leaders who can guide us through tough times, who are capable of making difficult decisions, who are self-sacrificing, who are willing to earn our loyalty and respect.
In fact, those leaders who do not fulfil these traits, who attempt to lower themselves to the level of their subordinates, presenting themselves as friends and equals to those they lead, are often deeply despised.
People start to doubt the strength of these leaders.
They grow suspicious of the competence and motives of these indecisive authority figures.
They even turn a little crazy, confused and scared by the prospect of being left to their own devices without any guidance.
The response to these leaders is that of hidden contempt.
In general, people never fully respect these overly inclusive leaders.
And without respect, there is no loyalty.
And without loyalty, groups inevitably crumble from the inside.
With that being said, when we find ourselves occupying positions of leadership, we must reject the prejudices of the times that urge us to be obsessively democratic.
The need for true authority figures—those with an elevated perspective, a sense of boldness, a high attunement to the group, and a feel for what unifies it—has never been greater.
Without these leaders, groups in every area of life become overwhelmingly chaotic and dysfunctional.
And because of that, we are tasked with establishing our authority and assuming this necessary role, which may at times involve going against the crowd and refusing to lower ourselves to their standards.