The problem in this case (and my own direct past observations) is that it was nothing to do with not doing what was asked, it was just a comment in a team meeting that triggered it. The colleague feels they are being setup for failure, which I agree with. Which means that following the set process on how to handle it is the way to go. They are doing what the supervisor wants by going to the colleagues.
My aversion to authority definitely played a role in me leaving the company. However, the far bigger issue was my perceived health. Assumptions were made that were far from correct, but I was never able to speak for myself. I was in the midst of changing roles and would have had a different supervisor who had a clear understanding of the situation and things would have been far better. Having said that, the company is now having "change negotiations" and the department that is up for the most change, is that of my ex-supervisor. It looks like they will keep their role, but unsure how many of the team will be left.
For my consultancy (where me asshole boss [me] gets to make all the decisions), I spend a lot of time with companies planning different changes and dealing with employees. There are definitely better and worse ways and my advice to the majority of employees is, to go along with the changes, as it is just a job. There are limits though, and there are also differences if the person is looking to advance in the organization, because that can require more strategy. In the current climate here with 11% unemployment, just do the job, whatever it is.