Commentary explores fear, authority and why people submit

A Turkish-language commentary titled "Fear and Authority: Why Do People Submit?" examines the social and psychological roots of obedience to power. The writer opens with an image of a well-known artist trembling as though bitten by a snake while dancing to music, describing the movement as strange, before turning to scenes from North Korea, where citizens were reported to have wept and applauded after the death of their leader as a display of loyalty rooted in a culture of fear. The author rejects the argument that peoples choose or empower tyrants, arguing instead that those who seize power can transform into dictators against whom resistance becomes impossible. The piece notes that many societies subjected to war and occupation have lacked the resources to resist, and that even calm and peaceful communities can be tested by harsh rulers. In daily life, the writer observes, subordinates fear their superiors in workplaces and government offices, and people outwardly respect employers while privately condemning them. Family elders, the column adds, eventually plead with grown children to protect them from danger, framing human timidity less as a personal choice than as a product of living conditions.