Awesome post. It made me think of one of my favorite quotes:

Rebel, children, I urge you, fight the turgid slick of conformity with which they seek to smother your glory. --Russell Brand

I'm pretty sure the whole intent of a public education system was to condition people to follow orders and become pliable. It's been very effective.

We're going to have to dismantle it at some point and create something new if we want a society that's based on the idea of leadership among equals. My workplace operates on this model, and it makes going to work a much more pleasant experience. The only drawback is that it requires a lot more communication for things to run effectively.