What battles, with authority figures, are worth fighting and which ones are not worth the hassle?

When a kind and reasonable attempt for genuine evolution is sacrificed upon the alter of unsupportable dogma, that’s when I say, “No more”.

The only battles worth fighting are the ones you have a good chance at winning.

I’m going to have to disagree with @YARNLADY. Some battles are merely stepping stones for a later victory. Take civil rights issues, for instance. If no one had fought the many, many losing battles of the past, the overall ‘war’ would never be won. Change has to start somewhere. Even if you can’t win, other people may eventually benefit from your fight.

Of course, you do have to weigh the cost/benefit ratio of entering into battle with anyone – over anything. But there is often reason to proceed, even if it won’t benefit you personally.

Those that won’t ultimately result in a pyrrhic victory.

To know when to fight or fold, you need to know your rights first.
Depends on the authority that your dealing with too.
With Cops, check with the law and regulations etc.
With Doctors check with your rights as a patient etc
And so on.
Authority figures know how far that they can go by checking their limits.
You can do the same by arming yourself with the rules/regulations etc

@YARNLADY Those who remember the Abraham Lincoln Brigade from just before World War II would tell you differently. It was a losing cause, but it slowed down Facism in Spain enough to keep them out of WWII