I frequently talk to my patients about why people follow the rules. Many of them acknowledge that they follow the rules because they are concerned about the consequences, and think they will get "caught." The readily acknowledge that they often do things that are against the rules because they think they can get away with it.
We discuss following the rules because that is the right thing to do. We talk about what it would feel like if someone follows the rules, and does not need to worry about being watched or caught, and what a difference that might make in some one's outlook or attitude.
Very few of my patients buy into this prospect. For those of us who are not convicted of felonies who do buy into this idea, it may be difficult to understand why some do not.
There are people in this world who think that they are larger than the rules, the rules do not apply to them, and they can do anything without getting caught, or if they can get caught, they are so superior, they can get out of it. This is not unusual for a teenager, but when this attitude continues as an adult, these people continue to break the rules, and the behavior usually escalates.
This thinking seldom changes, once the person has become an adult. These persons are always working the angle, trying to get by with something, cutting it close, doing whatever they can to get by.
I see people every day at my place of employment who have this attitude. It is so sad. It leads to a life time of criminal behavior and more likely than not, lots of prison time. Is that attitude worth the loss of freedom?
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