TOPIC: People should question the rules of authority as opposed to accepting them passively.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.
This topic raises the controversial issue of whether we should follow the rules of authority without questioning them. Indisputably, there are certain times and situations that we should break the rules of normal times. Following the rules of traffic might be dangerous when a hurricane hits a town and town people escapes for their lives. Of course, no body would or should expect to wait in red light. However, except such extraordinary situations, we are not supposed to break the rules.
First of all, as opposed to the example below, everyone would agree that traffic rules are to be followed no matter what a driver thinks of them. For example, in the United States there are very strict speeding rules. Although it might be unreasonable for someone to drive 20 miles per hour in an empty street at night, if hit someone when speeding, it is not a justified excuse for the driver that there was nobody around, therefore no need to drive that slow. It is also the case where there is a fire department parking the street front of it would have serious consequences even though there was no fire at the time or during the parking and therefore nobody came out if the department anyway.
There also rules in the society that are broken frequently and threaten the public order and health. In the United States, rules that prohibit smoking marihuana is one of them. Although smoker might think that he is not putting anybody health in danger by smoking it in private we should look at the bigger picture. Now since there is demand there is supply. In this case it is black market that sells such illegal weed. When driving some regions, it is not a small chance to see school-age children smoking it or what is worse selling it. It seems that breaking a rule in private does not stay in private and threatens the public disorder.
Following the rules in family has similar underlying reasons behind it. For example, a 15-year-old might think that she is mature enough to get married or start a family where her family strictly opposes it. The family rule regarding this case might be no marriage before college or job. For the child following this rule passively might be unreasonable and there are more important things in life than getting an education or a job. However, experienced people would say that such decision would ruin her life without leaving her nothing to go on. It is because 15-year-old is not able to make such long-life decisions her family makes rules for her. Although she thinks that the rules are stupid, by following them she would be better off.
Besides, there are rules in workplaces put by employers. Coming to the workplace at 9 am and leaving it at 6 pm is one of the most common ones. Now, the employee might think that she is more productive when she starts at 12 pm and works until 10 pm. But think about if everyone tries to set up their own schedule instead of following the rule. Someone else might claim that she works better at night or at home, therefore, thinks that she should not be forced to come to the work at all. It is the same case where an employee thinks that he is more productive in her pajamas, so, for him coming to work with pajamas on should be allowed in workplace. Although it might be true that employees know themselves better than anyone including their employer, they might be the case that they would be more productive when breaking workplace rules. However, it is common sense that even breaking one simple rule, as it is in these example, would cause chaos.
