[February 13, 2022] My school years were often punctuated by teachers asking me, ‘Doug, why can’t you follow the rules?’ I was never really that good at it. After joining the U.S. Army, I struggled to follow their rules and would suffer as a consequence. Understanding why there were rules (regulations, policies, directives, orders, etc.) was helpful but never sufficient for me to fall in line and obey them.
In grade school, I once had a teacher who told us we were about to get a “test.” We would be given one minute to finish 50 multiple-choice questions. Obviously, this would be impossible to finish. We didn’t realize we were being set up. The teacher said that we had to follow the written test instructions. The first line of the instructions said, “Read all 50 questions before taking the test.” Of course, I thought, “Why waste time reading them first?”
After our one minute was up and we turned in our “test,” the teacher read the last page to us. On that page, at the bottom, it said, “Do not answer any questions, just write your name at the top of the first page and turn the test in to your teacher.” Bummer! I thought I’d be able to crash the test. Stupid me! I had failed to follow her instructions, and I failed the test.
Why can’t people follow the rules? This article is not about rules but about people not following the rules. As a side note, I allow guest writers on my website. So far, I’ve had over 100 guest writers submit their drafts for review. I have a page of ten simple instructions to follow (see link here). Guess how many have followed all my instructions? Zero. Yep, none have ever followed them all. I even list MOST COMMON mistakes and they still violate the multiple rules.
Yes, there are times when you must know when to violate a rule.1 Rules are there to make life easier. Others have put them in place to create order and avoid problems. Life goes easier for us and others when we follow the rules. However, like many folks, I’ve been quick to deviate from the rules and do what I want. I paid a heavy price for that behavior over my lifetime. I will not be the last to pay that price.
My advice to people is simple. Follow the rules. If you want to violate a rule, then it is essential to know why the rule exists, the penalty for doing so (and be willing to take the penalty), and the right way to violate the rule (usually by doing something that achieves the same goal).
Here is an interesting take on why we have rules (see links here and here).
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Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” at Amazon (link here).
Follow he rules, do good. Do not follow rules, do bad. Simple.
You can’t disobey the rules properly if you don’t understand the rules and why they are there for us. Pick a goal, learn it, understand it. Make yourself responsible to others. That is the beginning of understand why rules exist. And, then you can disobey them because you know what is right.
Maybe it’s just built into our psych to disobey or rebel against authority. “Rules don’t apply to me …”. Who would know? Great website. 😀
Maybe, but I think it’s more. Conformity is learned and so is rebellion. There may be some inborn personality traits that push us one way or another but I believe it is mostly learned.
Gen. Satterfield, interesting that none of those who want to publish an article have followed your rules!
To disobey, or to consciously violate rules, you must first know what they are and then understand the rules and why they apply. If not, just not following the rules will get you nowhere but into trouble.
… and a lot of grief along the way as well. That is because you are stupid if you randomly or for no reason violate basic rules that govern civilized behavior (and safety, etc.).
Well written, thanks Gen. Satterfield.
Nothing like a good ole article from the past. Yes, Gen. Satterfield has written about this idea of following rules before. But he has an idea. That idea is to instill the motivation to last forever in the person.
Hi everyone! Just to let you know, I ordered and got Gen. Satterfield’s book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq.” If you buy it, you will find out why he calls it his longest year. Hint, it was looonnnng. Anyway, if you’ve not purchased the book, then get off your ass and buy it now. Also, provide a review on line.
Thank you Eric, this blog post is the reason I keep coming back here. 😊
Yep, my dog sits beside me when I’m reading this on my iPad. The iPad is the perfect platform. Gen. Satterfield keeps this site hopping. Everyone has to stay on target. You just can’t think everything is hunky dory and the world is all smiles. Be prepared for defeat. It makes it easier to do a NJ upload on who is running for what.
I purchased his book too. It’s a must read.
Gen. Satterfield, keep articles like this coming our way. I like the entertainment value.
My niece, Joan, is a smart girl. Plays hockey, Spanish language team, Debate team, etc. She is the kind of kid all schools want. The problem? She can’t follow the rules. It pisses off the people.
Great comment and thanks for sharing a family secret. Must be tough to know your niece could do anything at all and yet others are keeping her down.
I laughed when I read this article, Gen. Satterfield. Well done!
My family and I just got back from visiting a college in the Northwest (Oregon). My daughter came with us, of course, but what I want to note that representatives of the college were great giving us a lowdown on college and dormitory rules. Yes, there were plenty of them. Wearing masks, social distancing, etc. Lots of stuff that didn’t make sense but we followed their rules while we were there. Then threw our masks out the windows as we left.
👍 You are great. What a wonderful story to tell. Good luck! I hope you didn’t sign your daughter up to this ‘woke’ college.
At least you have a choice, Max. Many kids graduating now have lost a full two years of academics and that cannot be “made up” by doing longer to school. It’s a developmental issue of care and learning.
Hey, thanks for the note and much appreciated. “Why we obey rules,” should be clear to anyone with a brain cell. Let’s be honest, rules work! And rules make for the most efficient and satisfied work places ever. Give it a try. Yep, I know you want to disobey. Go ahead and do so without thinking. You won’t get far.
Ha, follow the rules? Never! That’s my motto, anyway. Yeah, I get kicked around a lot, fired from jobs, divorce, no real friends ….. but hey, I’m free. I can do what I want, when I want. Well, not so fast. The penalty is not worth it.
Crazy. Don’t follow the rules, and expect results like you do. Crazy!