7 Legitimate Reasons You Shouldn’t Be Afraid To Break The Rules
Ever since we were born, we’ve had it beaten into our heads that cheating is bad. That breaking the rules is some great sin that must be avoided at all costs. But what if blindly following the rules at all times isn’t the best way to live your life? What if a little cheating is necessary to do the right thing and make the world a better place?
There are certainly some great reasons why you should occasionally be breaking the rules, such as..
1. Rules are not universal
Most of the time, rules are not universal. They’re generalizations, designed to apply to most people and in most situations. They aren’t tailored to specifically fit you or your specific circumstances. Therefore, blindly following every rule in every situation is just plain stupid.
2. You may not have agreed to the rules in the first place
Sometimes, you just don’t agree with the given rules in the first place. Maybe they were forced upon you against your will, or maybe you disagree with them out of principle.
Maybe you don’t support your religion’s rules for treating women, your society’s rules on behavior, or your company’s policy to screw over customers. In these cases, blindly following the established rules might be the worst thing for you.
3. You do not support the system that instated the rules in the first place
But whether or not you agree with the rules, you still might not support the authority that implements them. Perhaps the rules were instated by an incompetent manager at work, an oppressive government, or a friend who tries to change the rules of the soccer game you’re playing.
Either way, if you do not support the system that instated the rules, you have to ask yourself if following them is really the right choice.
4. The rules may keep you from doing the right thing
We’ve all been in a situation where we want to do the right thing, but the rules just don’t allow it. Be it a doctor wanting to help an uninsured patient, or a company employee unable to assist a customer because company policy forbids any and all interfering. Sometimes the rules must be broken in order to do the right thing.
5. The rules themselves may end up hurting you
Rules are often designed as generalizations, and are rarely applicable in every situation. Sometimes, they might even end up hurting you and worsening the situation. If following the rules does nothing but bring harm to people, perhaps it is time to start breaking them.
6. Mindlessly obeying the rules is the coward’s way
Of course, mindlessly obeying the rules is the easiest way to live your life. You have clear instructions for how to behave, and you don’t have to take any personal responsibility for your actions. You just have to do as you’re told, and then you can justify it all with “I was just following the rules”.
7. Cheating can be the only responsible way
While blindly following the rules is the easy way, cheating and breaking them is the difficult way. It takes a lot of courage and responsibility to break the rules and do what you believe is right. It is so much easier to just obey the rules and let whoever designed them face the responsibility for your actions.
Do these reasons justify breaking the rules? Perhaps, and perhaps not. The thing to remember is that breaking the rules comes with both benefits and consequences. The key is to figure out if the benefits outweigh the consequences.