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A time-honored tradition in Navy nuclear submarining is that when a watch officer in the engine room starts getting too full of himself, the enlisted watch standers start following their orders literally (though not to the point of risk to the reactor), rather than providing feedback and recommendations.

Usually the watch officer picks up the lesson quickly. But even there, far from any battlefield, and with hundreds of pages of detailed instructions, you'll find the need for reasonable interpretation on the part of those taking orders, and reasonable accomodation on the part of those giving them.




Similar to work-to-rule labor action:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work-to-rule

Which also involves gumming up the works with very strict adherence to instructions, rules, and guidelines.




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