Authority can be thought of as a license to author. We can grant ourselves authority to author anything we want if we are willing to accept the consequences, some of which can be onerous. The more usual case is we act consistent with what we understand our license (authority) to be. In management, we hire and fire consistent with our authority. As children, we respect our curfew, as drivers, we respect traffic laws.
We are all aware that license is sometimes exceeded. Unqualified people are hired. People are fired without cause. Children ignore curfews and drivers speed. Most people, especially children, have learned that it is easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission. People have often also learned that consequences aren't always forthcoming, and even when they are, are worth the risk.
In a broader sense, a head of state may declare war, but an average citizen may not. Civil disobedience can be used to make a point or even change a culture as was done by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. A new nation can be formed by declaring independence as the US did with England. While it's important to be aware that violating license has consequences, often violent, most people can be counted on to act consistent with their license. Most avoid consequences without considering whether exceeding license is worth risking potential consequences.
There is license that we can and commonly do grant ourselves whether we realize we are doing it or not. Our opinions are our own, the choice to get a tattoo is up to us, the choice to manage our health is up to us, the choice to read a book is up to us and on and on.
The idea that granting of authority is always done by someone else is an illusion. What is true is that assuming authority risks consequences. To mute the risk of consequences, we can act consistent with the authority we have been granted by others either formally or informally. Informal license is found in cultural expectations, not in formal granting of authority by some individual or organization empowered to grant license.
Our actions are up to us. There are consequences, either positive or negative for all actions. They are often clearly stated as when they involve violating laws. We can accept the risk of consequences as we often do when we ignore speed limits. Action is often guided by an unconscious concern for consequences, and we act and may even talk as if there are things we have no choice about. In the end, honoring authority is wise for having things work and wiser still for avoiding consequences.
