Oscar Wilde, a celebrated writer, proposed that disobedience is the virtue of humanity that drives progress. Although this notion may appear valid at first glance with examples such the disobedience that fueled the American revolution and the divergent genius that is Albert Einstein, it is also to remember the role of obedience is history such as holding the United States together in its fragile first years. The American Revolution is perhaps the purest example of progress through disobedience. Something that began as simplistic disdain for authority led to rebellion, and finally, to the most successful experiment in freedom the world has seen. Would the revolution have even been possible without the intrinsic disobedience of humans? Probably not, since tax rates then were an order of magnitude lower than they are today. But why was there revolt in 1776 and not now? The answer lies in the definition of disobedience; in the 18th century, we were controlled by Great Britain, but now Americans are their own bosses. Americans are free to choose where to spend money, how to earn it, what means to implement, and who gives how much. It’s not the…show more content… Everyone has probably heard that Einstein failed most of his classes in school, but what does that imply about his later discoveries? Einstein didn’t conform to to the traditions of his time, he disobeyed the educational norms. Instead, he looked for truth through research, and transformed the outlook of science for the first time since Isaac Newton (who made his discoveries is secret, against the will of the church). It wasn’t adherence to the rules that made the scientific development possible, it was exactly the opposite, disobedience. Furthermore, science is about disproving claims, contesting old ideas, and breaking the rules. Science is just one example among many where progress is made through
