Raising your hand is important.

Think for yourself! Speak for yourself! Ask big, philosophical questions for the sole purpose of expanding one's understanding and knowledge. Be loud and controversial, and make your voice heard. It is so easy at times to slip into a mindset of letting others do things for you. To the point that the world is merely moving and happening around you, and you lose sight of your own goals, self-growth, and enlightenment. 

As Kant makes a statement regarding the officer, the tax collector, and the cleric;  the common theme seems to be how they are only caring for their own needs. As long as work gets done, taxes get paid, and the church is attended and respect; job security isn’t an issue for these people. These people all depend on the cooperation of the masses, and it would make sense for them to 
have the mindset of “less thinking, fewer problems”. Unions are counterproductive to a company. A protest to lower taxes lowers the income and safety of the collectors. Most of all independent thinking regarding religion has been and continues to be, a very dangerous thing for the current church officials. People in charge who like to keep everyone under them in their own lane, or with artificial freedom to think or make a change in society, lose a great deal of there authority when a 
mass of people, or sometimes even one person, steps out and challenges there ideas or provides one more idea appealing to the public.

To me, the point Kant is stressing is that Enlightenment is the key to freedom. Independence is power. Complete dependence is a wound that cannot heal and will cripple the dependent until they chose to begin thinking and acting without fear of failure. Success and enlightenment are largely in deciding not to stay in the dark, but to, as Spencer would say “Step out of the cave”.

I commented on Cade and Anna Grace’s posts