Rules are rules and designed generally to help us.  When the rules are arbitrary and needless then it's time to say ''Rules Are Made To Be Broken''
and do something more insightful.  But to reiterate: You must first KnowTheRule and second you must be justified in breaking the rule by having a good reason.

It all reminds me of the moral decision making principles taught by the good Jesuits ... ThePrincipleOfDoubleEffect is one of the most interesting and most misunderstood.  --RaySchneider
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On C3, we seem to have evolved one unbreakable rule: you can't break the rules without permission from the team.  If a rule is bad, the team can decide not to follow it, but we don't like it if someone breaks the rule on their own.  An ExtremeProgramming team runs on trust and mutual respect.  That rule needs to be preserved always.  --RonJeffries
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The ExtremeRules aren't arbitrary.  TheyreJustRules, and can be changed, but they aren't arbitrary.  I thank RJ, DW and others for showing me that.  --BenAveling
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When the rules are arbitrary and needless then it's time to say ''Rules Are Made To Be Changed'' -- DaveHarris
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See: ShuHaRi, ItsJustaRule