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I do what ATC asks me to ONLY when it co-incides with my own interests. Otherwise I will politely discuss with them a more appropriate course of action!
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Well, there's something I never expected to read from such a (normally) sensible person.
Genghis - please bear in mind 2 things:
1) We have the big picture.
2) When we ask, the next resort is we tell (when empowered to do so).
This of course is assuming that you are referring to 'Proper' ATC as opposed to FISO or A/G, in which case you have the right to 'discuss' (though that gets laborious too)
I would interpret Ghenghis' post to infer that as captain of the aeroplane, he has the final say in what he does in flight. It would be a foolish pilot indeed who let himself get vectored into the side of very nasty CB which could easily be avoided by a slightly different heading, or a VFR-only pilot who flew into IMC rather than 'discuss' an alternative heading with ATC.
ATC has the 'big picture', but the pilot is the one flying the aeroplane and who has ultimate responsibility for its safety.
As for A/G and FISOS, other than the latter when on the ground, what they request can be complied with or ignored as the pilot sees fit.
SSD