Rules Don't Work for Me

CHAPTER 8

Challenge the System

It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.

—Benjamin Franklin, according to legend

Thankfully, the human traits of curiosity and problem-solving, perhaps inborn, have inspired some people to find new and different ways of doing things. In going against the old ways, these mavericks (you could also call them outliers) have enabled tremendous human advancement over a span of only 10,000 years—an evolutionarily tiny span of time. But, there are always authority figures around to defend the old ways, often with the use of violence, coercion, and repression. It takes bravery and sacrifice ...