The Creative Contrarian

Wise Fool Strategy # 1Buck the Crowd

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”

— Mark Twain, American Writer

Humans like to flock! Why? Being surrounded by like-minded people is reassuring and pleasurable. It can also make us feel safe and provide a sense of well-being.

Wise Fools, however, know that following the herd is a poor way to get a clear picture of what is truly going on. They say it's important to pay attention to your own thoughts and observations rather than caving into group pressures. Indeed, they believe it is a good strategy to be a contrarian and go against the grain. This means taking time to look for the drawbacks in the majority opinion and to find the merits and possibilities in the minority one.

Most of us, though, follow the crowd for much of what we do. This was captured countless times in the classic television program, Allen Funt's Candid Camera, a show where concealed cameras filmed ordinary people in familiar yet unexpected situations. One of my favorite episodes has a woman waiting patiently for an elevator in an office building. After a few moments, the elevator arrives and the doors open. As she looks in, she sees that everyone is turned around, facing the rear of the elevator. She's a bit confused at first, but she quickly figures that the other people must know something she doesn't, and so, ...