In 1891, Oscar Wilde wrote that “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 through rebellion.” But to what extent is this true? It is not justifiable to be disobedient without a very good reason. Disobedience can only be rationalized in the face of injustice. However, I ask you not to take this article as grounds for teenage rebellion; it is simply an argument for civil disobedience.

The American Revolution was built on the backs of disobedient colonists hoping to sever from their mother country. The colonists felt as though they were being relentlessly taxed and bombarded with unjust acts, like the Quartering Act, which forced Americans to house unwelcome British soldiers. Thomas Jefferson, who was the father of the Declaration of Independence and later the third President of the United States, said “if a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it; he is obligated to do so.” America was born because people were unafraid to consider a different path.

This, however disconnected it may seem, applies to today’s culture. It is assumed that many children follow in their parents’ footsteps, but I implore teenagers to breakaway from their parents beliefs. Do not start a fight (or a revolution), but start a conversation. Some may find that they still believe what they always have, and some may not. Dare to disobey (reasonably).