Rules allow us to extract maximum value from each technology
In my school (good old days), you must bring relevant textbooks and notes to the respective class. This may sound obvious but for us, it means before you take your foot out of the door, you must put out everything, keep the daily timetable of class on one hand, and putting textbooks and notes into the bag. For a 12-year-old, this may be considered child labour.
This was the rule if you don't do this labour, then your status in society (class) gets lowered.
People consider rules as restricting your freedom. The only reason why you would apply a rule is to lessen the fun. Rules are applied by those boring adult people. To maintain their authority for the sake of it.
I disagree.
This rule of school doing something that we will appreciate years later. in hindsight, this rule is doing the following things,
• I don't have to carry all textbooks all the time.
• I come to school prepared.
• Life long habit of preparing before the day.
Rules give us freedom.
Rules may seem restrictive on the surface but it allows more freedom than without rule.
A notebook is a boring tool to organize, but to think clearly, not any feature-rich digital tool can compete with a notebook. A seemingly restrictive thing of the notebook is actually a great feature.
Having all public company to release their financial statements as per Accounting Standards may seem restrictive and headache for the company and auditors but having the ability to compare two different complex companies financially is worth the effort.
Setting social boundaries may cause social resistance but the payoff of self-esteem is worth it. (Recommended read: The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem)
Writing the instructions on a piece of paper may seem like it restrict "individual creativity" but the result of having all restaurant making all the same tasting food around the globe (think: Dominos and McDonals) is worth it. (Explained more under franchise model).