Comps Gem #2

Another comps reading gem, this time from the French theorist Michel deCerteau:

“Competence is exchanged for authority. Ultimately, the more authority the Expert has, the less competence he has…he abandons competence he possesses as his authority is extended further and further.”

I’m still not sure what exactly the context here is, but I think it is quite applicable to several bosses I have had in my lifetime…and reading this made me laugh. I always knew I never wanted to be a public school administrator, and now I have quite precise language as to why. I’d much rather have competence than authority.

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