Those Little Acts of Rebellion, Are They Worth it?

I am no Japanese scholar but I can read English, and this sign clearly tells you NOT to park your bike in front of the store. My husband and I found this situation very funny because people in Japan find it very disrespectful to be disobedient. Our nickname for Japan is to call it the land of compliance. Because everyone shows so much respect the Nancy Drew in me concludes that the people who parked their bikes in disobedience were not Japanese.

We all do it, those little acts of rebellion that give us a thrill or allow us to ‘slightly’ be rebellious. Things like driving over the speed limit, or sneaking outside food into a movie theatre, or not crossing at the crosswalk. All of these things are small, minuscule actions of defiance that give our heart a thrill and disappear from our radar before we know it. I’m not sure why we do them and yet most of us do things like this all the time.

Maybe our lives are too controlled, maybe we need to get our blood pumping. Maybe we are in a hurry or lazy, or feel the need to be in control of everything around us so a little act of rebellion gives us a sense of being in control of our own destiny. Or maybe we just want to ‘stick it to the man’ and live dangerously. Whatever the reason we all have moments when we live life a little on the edge.

When the shoe is on the other foot, it isn’t so fun or funny. No one likes to be disrespected. No one likes to have people flaunt defiance in their face or for someone to think the rules do not apply to them. None of us like it when someone else’s little act of rebellion suddenly splashes on our clean carpet, that is not funny. So where is the line where a little act of rebellion is okay, as long as no one is hurt? As long as no one finds out? Or are we sabotaging our own selves with these little defiance’s causing inner confusion and strife? Somehow I think it is a combination of all of the above.

Next time you want to rebel a little think twice, maybe three times as no one may be watching or looking but you will know. And isn’t your own opinion of yourself the most important one to maintain?