Like I said, I used to think this way until I realized there are things simply beyond my limited frame of reference that I am not prepared to understand yet. I

Like I said, I used to think this way until I realized there are things simply beyond my limited frame of reference that I am not prepared to understand yet. I completely disagree with your point about slave labor. If I have been in an industry for a decade and want things done a certain way because of my much deeper understanding, which a newer employee won't appreciate, I don't need to quantify why to my employees and it's very unhealthy for them to presume that they are even capable of understanding everything at play without the prerequisite experience. I am not talking about an arbitrary middle manager getting hung up on minutia for his own ego powertrip. I am talking about how being in the office on time, how you dress and behave has deep influence on others and the team, culture, ambiance and work environment with profound impacts a single employee can't see, and is perfectly reasonable for a boss to want to control. This idea that following instructions without understanding them not being a prerequisite of an employee is really unhealthy attitude if you want to work for someone else. I suggest starting your own business and not raising outside money, otherwise you will be a miserable slave in a perfectly functional work environment.