Morality is the first refuge of the will to power

When you ask why and they say "Justice demands it," "It would be wrong not to," or other words to that effect they are doing several things.

First, they are not answering you; moral reasons are complete hogwash and morality is in the lie of the beholder.

Second, they are throwing sand in your eyes; they are drawing you into useless blather about what does not exist to avoid serious talk about what does.

Third, they are bullying, they are damning anyone who will not obey, they are damning you to your face.

Fourth, they are asserting their dominance; anyone who can talk such rot without fear of mockery or violence is obviously the more powerful.

They begin with moral declamation to prevent thought, discussion, and back talk and stick with it for the same reasons.

Anyone who says "Come let us reason together!" and then talks like that is a fraud.

And he may not even know it.

But he most likely does.

Kids from the start seem to realize this is all about control, all about whose will prevails.

They seem pretty much undeceived by the masquerade of meaning in moral talk.

What do they say to people about to take a step out of line?

Much more often "Don't do it! You'll get in trouble!" than "But it's wrong!"

And what do they say when their friends try to nag them into taking a step out of line?

Again, much more often "I can't. I'll get in trouble." than "It's wrong."

Quite young, as soon as they realize it can succeed, when they decide to disobey authority they just lie about it.

And then when they get caught Mom and Dad, wise to that, deploy extra heavy punishment to discourage lying.

Only as the very last refuge does Mom or Dad say, "Because I said so!"

Or else!