Let's talk about being anti-establishment.
I have this default attitude of challenging any sort of authority. The 'authority' often shifts from person to person.
At a young age, it was my parents and family who were the authority. In school, it was my teachers, in my job, it's my bosses or whoever is paying me.
And ultimately, the authority is now the Government.
But I've been wondering for a while what was the origin of this anti-authority attitude.
The first answer is in my childhood. I was a terrible af student, didn't really excel at anything and I always felt like adults hated me. So I hated them back.
Second answer is in power structures. Since I really didn't have any real power or felt like I had any, it was always a game of taking power away from others.
My attempt is to Redistribute that power to people who need it.
Now I can detect a power hungry human being from miles away. Earlier I used to slink away and not really deal with them, but now I actively seek them out.
Now I try to chip away at that power they have accumulated over the years and give it to other people who don't have any.
In my head, nobody deserves to have insane amount of control over other human beings.
Pretty much explains my attitude towards everything.
There is an element of saviour complex here, of course. But then I also think about how privileged I am that I am able to even think like this.
That too is power, in its own way. Knowledge IS power. So if you are an anti-establishment person like me, understand that you're not alone.
Hi5!
Sidenote: This is the kind of stuff I'm going to use Mastodon for. Going to try and spark conversations like these as much as I can.
So please, do express your thoughts on being anti-establishment and what it means for you.
I'm listening eagerly!
@Memeghnad I wouldn't know where I fall in the spectrum of anti-establishment, because I'm compelled to follow rules and procedures (bringing this point up because you said you were anti-establishment as a kid, against authorities like parents/teachers). But all of that respect/obedience toward that authoritarian figure goes out the window the moment I perceive them to be unjust to me or others.
But after years of conditioning to be a "good girl who listens to everyone", I'm still unlearning.
@Neeneen whatever little I've seen about authority figures, they start off with implementing rules and regulations but then start to twist those rules in their favour.
Most authorities, after the power gets to their head, start believing they're above the law and invincible. That's just how human nature works.
So before they get to this point, anti-establishment folks need to temper them down a bit.
@Memeghnad also, I just realized: all of that anger I feel towards an unjust/power-tripping authoritarian figure? I still don't know where to put it, so I end up cynical and bitter.
Speaking up means breaking out and *that* takes guts.
@Neeneen I redirect my anger and turn it into lame jokes. Heh.
I often find that when my anger builds up, I blurt it out on one form or another. The audience helps me temper it down a lot. It's important to speak up!
meghnad 
.neeti.