The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules but by people following the rules. It’s people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages. Banksy, Wall and Piece
There is an exception to every rule. Late 16th century proverb
Those in power have everything to lose by individuals who march to their own rules. Drudge Report slogan
If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. Katharine Hepburn
We make the rules. And that’s that. Gomorrah s1e7 woman gangsta, Sky Atlantic 2014
But you must stick to the rules. You can swear at them, argue your way round them, do your damndest to change them, but if you break them, how the hell are you going to help the other poor [...] who gets into trouble? Rumpole of the Bailey s3e3: Rumpole and the Old Boy Network, Rumpole to new pupil, BBC 1983
State a moral case to a ploughman and a professor. The former will decide it as well, and often better than the latter, because he has not been led astray by artificial rules. Thomas Jefferson, letter 1787
There are ten rules in business that you need to learn. Number one: you need to play to win but also have to win to play. The Office US s2e4: The Fire, NBC 2005
Rule 17: don’t turn your back on bears whom you have wronged or a dominant turkey during mating season. There are forty rules all Schrute boys must learn before the age of five [sings] ... You’ll be eaten in your sleep – haaachch! The Office US s5e12: The Duel, Dwight
Any fool can make a rule
And any fool will mind it. Henry David Thoreau, Journal 14
By all means break the rules, and break them beautifully, deliberately and well. That is one of the ends for which they exist. Robert Bringhurst, The Elements of Typographic Style
Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court. Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Deontology is a fancy name for the belief that morality consists in the obeying of rules. Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion p232
When games cease to have rules, they become jumbled-up happenings that cannot be listed as sports. Gene Tunney, Nine Seconds Belong to the Man on the Floor
‘No one can be blamed for doing the best he can for himself under existing circumstances,’ said Owen in reply to Slyme’s questioning look. ‘This is the principle of the present system – every man for himself and the devil take the rest. For my own part I don’t pretend to pracise unselfishness. I don’t pretend to guide my actions by the rules laid down in the Sermon the Mount. But it’s certainly surprising to hear you who profess to be a follower of Christ – advocating selfishness. Or, rather, it would be surprising if it were not that the name of ‘Christians’ has ceased to signify one who follows Christ, and has come to mean only liar and hypocrite.’ Robert Tressell, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist
We have one rule which you must obey – stay indoors. Robot Overlords 2015 starring Ben Kingsley & Gillian Anderson & Callan McAuliffe & James Tarpley & Milo Parker & Elia Hunt & Craig Garner & David McSavage & Geraldine James et al, director John Wright, robot
It’s the game you’re playing, Helen. I didn’t make the rules. Panic in Needle Park 1971 starring Al Pacino & Kitty Winn & Alan Vint & Richard Bright & Kiel Martin & Michael McClanathan & Warren Finnerty & Marcia Jean Kurtz & Raul Julia & Angie Ortega et al, director Jerry Schatzberg, rozzer to her
The rules of the detective novel are the rules of a game. Andrew Marr, Sleuths, Spies & Sourcerers I, BBC 2016
Ten Top Rules For Robbing A Bank: 1) Decide to rob a bank; 2) Have a plan; 3) Have a back-up plan; 4) Establish clear communications; 5) Choose your partners carefully; 6) Expect the unexpected; 7) Shit happens; 8) Don’t get greedy; 9) Remember, shit happens; 10) Hang up and know when to walk away. Logan Lucky 2017 starring Daniel Craig & Hillary Swank & Canning Tatum & Adam Driver & Riley Keough & Katie Holmes & Farrah Mackenzie & Katherine Waterson & Dwight Yoakam & Jack Quaid & Seth MacFarlane et al, director Steven Soderbergh, list on wall
You break the rules and this whole goddamned thing of ours cracks and crumbles. Gotti: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Media Don 1996 starring Armand Assante & William Forsythe & Anthony Quinn & Vincent Pastore & Frank Vincent & Richard C Sarafian & Dominic Chianese & Raymond Serra & Tony Sirico et al, director Robert Harmon, Dellacroce
What rules? In this business there’s only one rule – the rule of the jungle. Mesrine: Killer Instinct 2008 starring Vincent Cassel & Ludivine Sagnier & Michel Duchaussoy & Myriam Boyer & Cecile de France & Garard Depardieu & Gilles Lellouche & Roy Dupuis & Florence Thomassin et al, director Jean-Francois Richet, Guido
I realised it’s not enough to break the rules: you have to be strong enough to make your own. Live By Night 2016 starring Ben Affleck & Elle Fanning & Massi Furlan & Remo Girone & Brendan Gleeson & Robert Glenister & Matthew Maher & Chris Messina & Sienna Miller & Miguel Pimenthal & Zoe Saldana & Chris Cooper et al, director Ben Affleck, Joe
This is not Nam. This is bowling. There are rules. The Big Lebowski 1998 starring Jeff Bridges & John Goodman & Steve Buscemi & David Huddleston & Julianne Moore & Tara Reid & John Turturro & Philip Seymour Hoffman & Sam Elliott & Ben Gazzara & David Thewlis et al, director Joel Coen, Walter
Of all the things I hold in high regard, rules is not one of them. House of Cards US s1e13: Chapter 13, Frank, Netflix 2013
Did you think I’d forgotten you? Perhaps you hoped I had. Don’t waste a breath mourning Miss Barnes. Every kitten grows up to be a cat. They seem so harmless at first, small, quiet, lapping up their saucer of milk. But once their claws get long enough they draw blood, sometimes from the hand that feeds them. For those of us climbing to the top of the food chain there can be no mercy. There is but one rule: hunt or be hunted. Welcome back. House of Cards US s2e1: Chapter 14, Frank’s closing soliloquy
Everyone has to follow the rules, Jim, without exception. That’s how wars are won. Trailer Park Boys s9e2: A Stable Fucking Environment, Colonel
You’ve spent your whole life thinking there are rules. There aren’t. Fargo s1e1: The Crocodile’s Dilemma, Malvo to Lester, FX 2014
I am on my way to go and meet a family who describe themselves as being unconventional. My understanding at this point is that the kids don’t go to school, they’re not home-schooled, it’s a child-led parenting. No rules, very lose, they’ll eat when they want, they go to sleep when they want. They don’t vaccine the kids. Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over s1e3: The Family Without Rules, BBC 2019
The whole family sleeps in the bed together. ibid.
The kids are animated. ibid.
Learning the rules of an unpredictable world – that’s hard. Michio Kaku, Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible s1e9: How to Build a Sci-Fi Robot, Science 2009
The Fine Structure Constant: It sits at the heart of Feynman’s theoretical success … The strength of electromagnetism … Where does this number come from? And it is not alone … The constants of nature are clearly central to all physics … How are we here? The Entire History of the Universe e7: Why is the Universe Perfect?
Where does these constants come from? Does the universe have to be this way? ibid.
What if the rules of the universe were different? ibid.
He got Brexit done and now he was giving the North the chance to take back control. And even more amazing I had a job in his government. Partygate, Channel 4 2023
After a few weeks events started to happen. Other European countries were locking down but the boss was resisting. Death rates were rising fast. ibid.
It’s no wonder they’re called the Hail Mary Wards. ibid.
A few days after the Drinks in the Garden, I got an invitation from the boss’s Principle Private Secretary. ibid.
Party No1: 20 May 2020 … Leaving Drinks: 12 June 2020 … Party No2: 18 June 2020 … Party No3: PM’s birthday 19 June 2020 … Party No4: 13 November 2020 … Party No5: 13 November 2020 … Party No6: 27 November 2020 … Party No7: 15 December 2020 … Party No8: 17 December 2020 … Party No9: 17 December 2020 … Party No10: 17 December 2020 … Party No11: 18 December 2020 … Party No12: 14 January 2021 … Party No13: 16 April 2021 … Party No14: 16 April 2021 … ibid.
Sue Gray report p16: There was a minor altercation. ibid. captions
‘What was an office is now a shithole. Get someone to clean it up.’ ibid. head of civil service
Is there anything we don’t have a party for? ibid.
Wine-time Fridays were built into the Downing Street calendar. ibid.
‘People need boundaries. They respond well to boundaries and it’s our job to give them those boundaries. That is what we are doing. They’re not meant for us.’ ibid. party-goer
‘Let me begin in all humility …’ ibid. Johnson to parliament