People With Zero Respect For Authority Often Say 9 Phrases In Casual Conversation
Dean Drobot | Shutterstock Not everyone responds to authority in the same way.
Past experiences, personality traits, and personal values can shape how someone interacts with people in positions of power. It's reasonable to question an authority figure who behaves unfairly or misuses their power, but some people reject nearly every rule or request simply because it comes from an authority figure. People with zero respect for authority often express that defiance through the phrases they use in casual conversation.
Phrases people with zero respect for authority say casually:
1. 'You're not the boss of me'
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People who have past trauma involving controlling parents or authority figures may develop a strong aversion to authority as adults. Others may have personality traits, such as entitlement or a false sense of superiority, that alter how they interact with leaders, bosses, and authority figures.
Even when someone really does have more power and influence, some people’s brains react with anger and defensiveness. They don’t like when someone has control, and they’re wired to rebel, at least according to a study from the Journal of Neuroscience. They can’t help but say “you can’t control me” or “you’re not the boss of me,” because it solidifies the inner freedom they feel entitled to.
2. 'Nobody tells me what to do'
Feeling a sense of control and freedom in our lives is somewhat essential to our well-being. That’s why feeling like we’re being controlled by someone else can often bring up anger, frustration, and all kinds of complicated emotions. However, most of the time, an authority figure asking someone to do something at work or in public is not necessarily being controlling, at least not to someone with a sense of inner security.
However, someone with no respect for authority figures takes this behavior and these situations personally. They feel controlled, and whether or not that’s actually the case, they respond as such. Even when it only escalates the situation, “I’ll do what I want” is their way of coping with internal fears and anxiety.
3. 'I don't owe you anything'
Yes, there are situations where people should push back against authority, especially when they’re misusing their power to protect their own sense of entitlement or refusing to show respect to others. However, most of the time, someone who disrespects all authority figures lives with an “I don’t owe you anything” mentality.
It’s a unique subset of hyper-independence, where someone doesn’t want to feel beholden to anyone but themselves. Their own needs need to come first, along with a sense of personal control over their lives. Otherwise, they feel completely at risk.
However, when a boss or public authority figure has the power to sway those priorities or control their behaviors, it can feel like a personal attack, even if they’re just doing their job.
4. 'What are you gonna do about it?'
Some people have a natural instinct to rebel. It’s a defense mechanism, especially for people who hold their own independence close to their chests. Their lack of respect may have little to do with the authority figure personally. Instead, they may struggle to regulate their emotions when they feel controlled or influenced.
“What are you gonna do about it?” is how they remind themselves of their own free agency, even if it comes at the expense of trust and respect.
5. 'I don't care what you think'
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Putting less weight on other people’s attention and opinions can be a healthy way to live. We’re better people when we find personal fulfillment and security without relying on others' reassurance. However, interacting with authority often requires some level of thoughtfulness, even with just a boss in the workplace.
You can disagree with how someone handled a situation or dislike someone as a person, but there’s no avoiding power differences and authority in many situations. “I don’t care what you think” doesn’t create any new expectations or change the dynamic. It only disrespects someone’s position and amplifies the frustration between two people, one of whom is probably just trying to do their job.
6. 'That's not my problem'
Entitlement doesn’t just look like snarky phrases. It can also show up in phrases like “that’s not my problem” and in refusing to help other people. It can also appear as a rejection of authority, with someone believing they’re too important to follow instructions or rules set by an authority figure.
Entitled people tend to spark hostility and conflict in all their relationships, but especially with authority figures who challenge their misguided perception of superiority.
7. 'I'm an adult. I can do what I want'
Following instructions, respecting authority, and abiding by rules are all a natural part of adulthood, especially in our society and institutions. If you go into work, you have a boss who somewhat dictates how you behave. The same is true for the justice system or even the laws of the road. Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean that you have some kind of higher permission to act however you want without consequences.
However, an entitled person who disrespects authority and feels better than everyone else will use “I’m an adult” to justify their behavior. They cling to this phrase as an excuse, even when it usually ends poorly.
8. 'I wish they'd try that with me'
Phrases like this, or “I dare you to try,” are often directed at authority figures by someone who enjoys the confrontation that comes with rebelling. Yes, defiance is healthy and necessary sometimes, but unnecessary defiance may also reveal someone’s fear or anxiety about losing control.
They don’t like feeling controlled, so they rebel and challenge authority to assert their own agency. However, a truly secure adult doesn’t need to act out to prove that they have control over themselves, even in places where authority figures are present. They know that abiding by the rules and following instructions doesn’t make them weak. It makes them responsible and mature.
9. 'Go ahead and try to make me'
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If you’ve ever been around a truly insecure, immature person, you’ve heard a phrase like “make me” before. Although it can be said jokingly, someone who uses it seriously may be defending themselves against a perceived loss of control.
Rather than evaluating each situation for themselves, they may automatically reject nearly every form of authority. They’d prefer to prove, to others and themselves, that nobody can make them do anything, even if it comes at the expense of their career, social image, or relationships.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
