Sorry, Obie, but your non-critical faith in those who write SOPs is entirely misplaced.
I have personally re-written sections of manuals as an FO, and had them published to the manual; challenged Boeing performance parameters and had Oz legislation changed as a result; been asked to write SOPs when I didn't have the skills, and declined; and seen quadruple SOPs for the same machine dictating four different procedures. The classic was a certain US manufacturer stating that on a certain three engine aircraft the statistical possibility of a double engine failure was too miniscule to write a procedure for ! ! Too many times I've bitten my tongue at operational stupidities.
I find your acceptance of everything in print frightening.
Pilots must first of all think. Follow SOPs as best they can when all is going well because it makes the cockpit an easier place to work in, but have a deeper well of knowledge & experience to draw on, hopefully, when the proverbial hits the spinning bits.
Rules are for the guidance of wise men, etc.