When is it OK to break the rules?

Answer 1

W-A-Y too broad a question to answer. While there certainly can be limited justifiable circumstances when it would be excusable to "break" a law you've go to be more specific with your question as to when and under what circumstances you are referring.

Answer 2

It may be acceptable to break the rules when doing so prevents harm to yourself or others, promotes fairness and justice, or challenges unjust systems. It is important to consider the consequences of breaking the rules and to act ethically and responsibly.

Answer 3

1) When no one including yourself gets emotionally or physically hurt.

2)Breaking the rules can have repercussions (breaking the law) so you definitely have to weigh out the pros and the cons.

There is so much more to this answer I cannot even begin to type it all!

(I'll let someone else pitch in!)

Answer 4

It really never is okay to break the law. But if you truly and honestly think it is unjust then most people do it publicly. Like Among the Hidden, you weren't aloud to have 3 children but most families did. Then a shadow child went to a rally to stand up and get her voice heard. Anyway, it is really only okay. If you honestly think it is unjust. If it is fair though NEVER do it. You do not want to go to jail, do you? (the answer is no)

Another view:

There is more than one way to answer this question. For one thing, what does it mean to be "ok" to break the law? Does it mean that it is morally correct but legally wrong, or does it mean that you should be able to break the law without punishment?

Some will say that it is never ok to break the law. Others will point out that it is probably actually impossible not to break the law. This is because many modern laws are complex, open to interpretation, susceptible to the discretion of the policing authorities, and in some cases may even be "Catch-22's" (cases where it is illegal to act, but also illegal not to act.) Many US criminal laws incorporate by reference elements of administrative decision making and foreign law, which makes it difficult if not impossible to know what is or is not legal in many cases. If the law is not knowable, many would say that it is not immoral to break it.

But what about laws that are knowable? (Whether or not you actually know them is another issue.) Perhaps the most discussed modern account of when it is ok to break a law is John Rawl's theory of civil disobedience. Rawls believed that it was permissible, morally, to break laws if and only if you met several conditions: you must break the law publicly, you must do so non-violently, you must be acting conscientiously (i.e., morally, to the best of your knowledge), you must accept any punishment given for the act, and the act must be undertaken with the intent of bringing change to the law you are violating.

Answer 5

You won't get arrested, break the law, or go against your parent's/boss's/God's wishes.

Answer 6

Yes sometimes it is ok to flout rules............but this sometimes comes only when the rule which we are breaking is not creating any problems for others.