What Happens When Rule-Followers Realise the Rules Don't Reward Them?
"If following the rules brought you here, then what was the point of the rules?"
This quote made me think about the psychology of rule-following.
Some people are raised to follow the rules wherever they go. They wait their turn, respect other people's space, avoid cutting corners, and believe that doing the right thing will eventually pay off.
Then, later in life, they encounter people who ignore the rules. They cut the queue, invade people's space, bend or break the rules, and still end up ahead. Sometimes they even achieve more.
That can create a psychological conflict. The rule-follower starts questioning everything: "Was I just being obedient? Was I naive? If someone who ignores the rules ends up more successful than me, what was the point of following them in the first place?"
I'm curious whether psychology has a name for this kind of mental awakening.