There is a difference between simple truth and going outside of the box a little bit. Big picture & common sense stuff, try it sometime. As stated earlier, if everyone operated under a 100% inability to be flexible when it comes to non safety related rules the airlines would come to a crippling hault.
Bingo!
The pedantic by-the-book types or militant unionistas were and are the worst guys to fly with. If I learned nothing else in my 35 year airline career it was the idea that sometimes thinking and acting outside the box a litte (not a lot) while using some discretion showed wisdom, not folly. Without some independent thinking and a little can do attitude, you're little more than a robot, and a not very productive one at that.