Sarah Reyner

October 29, 2012

English 102
Why Americans Dont Want to be Ruled
Why do Americans automatically distrust people in power? In both the incidents
of what became known as the Pussy Riots in Russia and the protests of Occupy Wall
Street or OWS in Zuccotti Park, New York City there is American skepticism towards
figures in power. The fact that the people of Russia had different reactions to the riots
demonstrates that this distrust is limited to the American people and are not tendencies
of human nature
In Michael Greenbergs article New York: The Police and the Protestors the
American suspicion towards powerful figures is splattered throughout the entire text as
he explains the protest displayed by Occupy Wall Street, an organization whose goal is
to reveal the corruption within government: the people in power. Several powers are
portrayed as corrupt, the New York Police Department was a main point of attack.
Greenberg acknowledges the protestors misjudgment of the police force as he points
out that many blue-collar officers [expressed] sympathy for [the OWS] message. and
that many of the officers disapproved of the aggressiveness of some of their superiors
and colleagues. According to article protestors failed to see this side of the police

force, the side of merely following orders, as Greenberg recalls that some activists
regarded every officer as the representative of an enemy state, cursing in their faces
across the metal barricades, hoping to provoke a violent response.
Alternative conceptions of authoritative figures is provided in Masha Lipmans
article The Pussy Riot Verdict as the people of Russia agree with their governments
decision to imprison three female protestors while the American people disagreed
vehemently. Why is it that the people of Russia do not exhibit this idea of suspicion of
authority?
Children in America are pumped with anti-authority propaganda without us even
being aware of it. Many nursery rhymes or fairy tales represent the powerful figure as
the bad guy or antagonist. For example in many of the Disney movies such as Snow
White, the rulers of the land inflict evil on the middle classes or peasants. Even many
sunday school stories such as David and Goliath have the more powerful figure playing
the antagonistic figure.
Even though it may not separate us from Russia, it is possible that human nature
contributes to our distrust in authority. Many of us will never admit it, but the idea of
being ruled over a higher being is unpleasing. What is it that causes this uneasiness?
Simply put, man kind does not like to to be ruled over so its quite understandable that an
all-powerful being can cause one to squirm in their seat. The simple concept of laws

can serve as an example. Laws represent restrictions, which therefor make police
officers, who enforce these laws, the restrictors. The difference between Russia and the
United States is when you believe in government corruption or any other political matter,
you are in the norm; you have several fellow citizens to stand by you to protest your
cause. This is the American attitude, we tend to seek corruption and attempt to embody
the super hero, save-the-day type roles to solve lifes issues. The lack of enthusiasm in
Russia is not indifference, no one wants to be controlled. Maybe the issue was not
significant enough, so they just turned their heads and acquired a those stupid
teenagers act.