Having authored something like this years ago, I was intrigued when I read the title of the thread. I'm always interested in reading someone else's take on the alignment debate, especially when it is well-written. I found this post was not only that, but also well-organized and presented intelligently. The format itself showed a great amount of effort and care, which I can certainly appreciate. The information was more than adequately thought out and provided some interesting insights. But for all your efforts, I feel that this particular essay has missed the intended mark.
It is not enough to simply describe one end of the spectrum (Lawful) so thoroughly and then sum up the other ends (Neutral and Chaotic) so quickly. To me, this suggests that each one of these aspects is either a different degree, or a lack thereof the primary you have chosen, which in this case is the Lawful aspect. The Neutral and Chaotic aspects are much more complex than you give indication of, and certainly deserve at least the same amount of attention.
More specifically, however, your interpretation of the Lawful alignment is askewed. Being Lawful is not about following the rules or principles. It is about a personal need for order and structure. You've managed to describe one degree of such behavior very well, but it is just one degree of it. On a personal level, Lawful people are creatures of habit. They create routines for themselves even when there are no external influences that require them to do so. Some eat their meals at roughly the same time everyday and feel uncomfortable or uneasy when they are forced to eat at a later time, for example.
Being Lawful has little to do with actual laws; it's more about being in control, or even being controlled. In general, most orderly people tend to be organized, cautious, and thoughtful. They like to plan ahead, explore all their options, and keep prepared by anticipating everything. They are not typically fond of surprises and usually avoid taking any unnecessary or uncalculated risks. They value such things as honor, tradition, logic, security, and discipline, because all of these promote a controlled environment.
There's certainly more to it that can be elaborated, but I'll leave it at that so I don't hijack the thread. I strongly suggest if you're going to continue to at least give Chaotic and Neutral the same amount of attention and not to simply represent them as varying levels of Lawful.
