As an American, we are taught "Don't think, just listen".

So when you ring up a $19.99 item and the register says $39.99, it takes two managers to finally conclude the machine is wrong.

And when the driver is told to cross, you don't look, you listen to the authority, be it machine, ATC, traffic light. "Just do what you're told God damnit, no more of that woke thinking bullshit."

And that's how we end up where we are.