Sociologists have long observed that traditional (0) HIERARCHICAL (HIERARCHY) structures in Western societies are undergoing a quiet but profound erosion. The once-unquestioned 1DEFER accorded to teachers, clergy and elected officials has given way to a climate in which every claim to expertise must be argued for rather than assumed. Figures who were previously considered 2AUTHORITY by virtue of office alone now find their pronouncements scrutinised, contested and occasionally ridiculed on social media within minutes of utterance. The 3SUBMIT that earlier generations displayed towards their elders is regarded by many young people today as not merely old-fashioned but frankly 4ACCEPT. Self-styled 5TRADITION lament what they see as a collapse of civility, while sociologists prefer to describe the shift in more neutral terms. They note that the change is sharply 6GENERATION, with older cohorts consistently reporting greater unease about the new informality than their younger counterparts. The rise of 7ASSERT training, especially among groups historically taught to defer, has contributed to a culture in which speaking up is prized over keeping one's counsel. Whether this marks genuine democratic maturation or something more 8CONSEQUENCE for the cohesion of institutions remains a matter of lively debate.