getting side-tracked
Pilots trust ATC to give them competent instructions. ATC trust pilots to give them competent info. and compliance with instructions.
No two people are ever on the same wavelength despite standardisation across the board in both jobs.
As a controller I often give what seems to be "obvious and unnecessary instructions" from a pilots point of view, but believe me I have a reason at the time. So if I ask you to remain clear of controlled airspace, I not only expect you to comply, I also expect you (as a competent pilot) to understand all my actions have reasons.
The instructions are the same wether you are a suspected "numpty" or not. I might be giving you said intruction because the controller sharing the sector with me is a suspected numpty, or other numpty pilots are on freq..
.................. or then again I might be the numpty!
I don't harrangue my shoe salesman because he measures my feet before he sells me shoes. Your Airline is paying for a service you are receiving. Please receive it.