Quotable Wednesday; On disobedience and rebellion

"Disobedience in the eyes of anyone who has read history is man's original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made--through disobedience and rebellion."
~Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde is a great resource for me. He viewed society with an inquisitive and cynical eye, but also with a vision. He saw beyond appearances to humankind's true nature at its very best and very worst. 

This quote is representative of his inquisitiveness; is rebellion bad? Is disobedience bad? Or are they necessary? 

It just depends on who you are and what you expect from yourself. 

If you are not satisfied with the norm, if you don't fit into the standards that your society has set for you, then disobedience is the answer to every question. Rebellion, even in its smallest form, an act of faith.

Personally, I have come to rely upon rebellion and relish disobedience. They sit with me when I doubt my path. They tap me on the shoulder when I forget myself. The give me the confidence to look people in the eye with the fullness of my being. 

That said, I would not need them if I felt like I belonged here. As thankful as I am for disobedience and rebellion, I am equally grateful for the society which requires it. I am lucky to have the opportunity to practice daily my need to go against the grain. 

How about you? Do you practice disobedience or rebellion? Let me know in the comments below. Would you rather live in a society that didn't require some type of conformity to a norm? Or do you prefer having the opportunity to rebel? I would love to hear what you have to say.