Bandwagon or Bust

“Society is consistently wrong. Though the details vary, there are two crucial constants: First, hysteria is absurd; Second, herding is reckless.” – You Will Not Stampede Me

During the 2024 election, new messaging for the Harris/Walz campaign coalesced around calling the Trump/Vance campaign weird.  Using the word to describe conservative values and far-right rhetoric as both creepy and strange, Democrats were certain that pinning the moniker on those with an anti-abortion stance and disdain for childless cat ladies would be a sure winner.  And they were seemingly correct.  Most people don’t like being called weird.  In fact, most people are more comfortable following the crowd. 

In Bryan Caplan’s 2023 book, “You Will Not Stampede Me”, Professor of Economics Caplan flies his nonconformity flag to challenge narratives and show how falling in line has its consequences.  In a series of blogs, Caplan reveals how a better life can be had by walking to the beat of one’s own drum.  As history has shown, society (the masses) is consistently wrong.  Nothing proves Caplan’s point more than the COVID response that used hysteria and herding to lead citizens down a very dark road.  In the end, those who fought popular orthodoxy were proven right. 

Unfortunately, most are happy to conform to popular views.  The need for community and acceptance alone causes many to stubbornly stick to the status quo.  Opting for tribe over truth, they cautiously go along to get along, even when they don’t believe it.  Add fear and intimidation to the mix, and people will fall in line even faster.   

As far back as 1951, the Asch Line Conformity Study, a psychological test on social pressure, involved eight participants who were asked to choose which line on the right side of a form matched a particular line on the left, a test with a clearly correct answer.  Not realizing that seven of the participants were in on the experiment, the eighth subject chose the wrong answer to align with the others.  The pressure to fit in with the majority reveals how people will deny obvious truths to conform. 

People in governments (and the media) have no shame in taking advantage of the fear of nonconforming.  They instead use mass hysteria events, like the Great Depression, the Great Recession, the War on Terrorism, COVID, and George Floyd, to control, not only the narrative, but the people.  Herding the majority into a single narrative with calls for action has become the rule and not the exception.  But these continuous overreactions have the net effect of corrupting their own credibility and reputation, leading to further disbelief and rejection of anything they say. 

Nonconformists, on the other hand, have no such sentiment.  Not only do they refuse to adhere to prevailing practices, but they will often say and do unconventional things.  Think John Fetterman, who famously attended the 2025 inauguration in shorts and a hoodie, having become comfortable living as a square peg in a round world.  Instead, many openly choose unpopularity over the hive mind and have no reluctance with being out of sync with society.  Truth over tribe, these contrarians are happy to express their disagreement with prevailing thoughts at any time. 

In politics, rather than joining a team, Caplan suggests simply adapting the ideology of one's convictions.  Then, when a member of the party goes amiss, you do not have to feel the need to defend them.  Insiders become too emotionally invested to resist, while outsiders have the benefit of objectivity.  If you refused to kneel with the NFL over George Floyd or rejected adding a black square on Instagram, you are likely a happy member of the outgroup and well on your way to being a rugged individualist.   

The Founders started us on the free spirit path when they formed their government to prevent the tyranny of the majority that existed under democracies, or a majority rule system where the winner takes all.  Instead, they gave us a republic that uses checks and balances to protect both the majority and the minority.  This need, to preserve individual rights, protects all minorities from discrimination. 

So, how would one flourish as a nonconformist in a conformist world?  Caplan says to stay calm while others panic.  When penalties are harsh, be flexible and pick your battles wisely.  Then, when overreactions trigger your spidey senses, be confident to ask questions and challenge entrenched fallacies using reason over emotion.  If you do, the powers that be might finally decide to just leave you alone.