Teaching has to be about legitimacy and consent . Indeed discipline works in extremis, not because of fear or loathing , but only because of reasoned consent . If not it becomes a caricature like Dotheboys Hall. Its all to be found in Machiavelli !!! You can’t fool all of the people all of the time .
Certainly by the 70’s ‘because I say so’ was NOT an acceptable reason for obeying authority .
But prof n., if everyone took this attitude how would you run an army – or, for that matter, a plc? In some relationships there has to be authority. I accept that person has to work to establish trust, but having done so, those under his care should not argue every point or want to express an opposite view.
I would hope those working with the doctors caring for you last year did what they were told, rather than going the way they thought better.
It is through failures of such discipline that disasters happen.