Just because everybody’s doing it…

“If everyone else jumps off a bridge, does that mean you should too?” Have you ever heard that question when you were growing up? If so, your mom and dad were aware of the dangers of following the crowd. Just because the majority of people agree doesn’t mean they are correct.

History is filled with countless breakthroughs and paradigm shifts that have emerged from questioning the status quo and challenging prevailing opinions. In this article, I want to show you that while the crowd might sometimes be right, they could just as easily be wrong.

Many people agreeing on the same answer doesn’t always make it the right one. After all, the entire human race once believed there was no such thing as a black swan—until they saw one. Just because popular opinion accepts something as true doesn’t necessarily make it so.

Here are my three reasons why you shouldn’t go along with the crowd simply because of the pull of popular opinion. Ask hard questions, think independently, and if you arrive at the same conclusion as everyone else—great. If not, have the courage to go your own way, even if it means walking against the flow.

Let’s get real for a minute—crowd dynamics are extremely powerful. It takes a lot of courage to step outside the crowd of popular opinion and ask hard questions. Similarly, it takes a great deal of personal strength to question whether the crowd even has any collective expertise on a given subject.

The danger with crowds is that we tend to assume size equals accuracy. But when you step outside the tide of popular opinion, it becomes clear that logic doesn’t support a direct correlation between the two.

In countless fields—science, politics, social issues—the majority has often led us astray. History shows us that people once believed the Earth was flat and that the sun revolved around it—widely accepted “truths” until pioneers like Christopher Columbus and Galileo Galilei challenged the status quo and thought independently.

Similarly, popular beliefs can perpetuate injustice simply because they are widely accepted. It’s crucial that we question the majority and think critically, because truth and justice often lie beyond the crowd.

It takes a lot of courage to step outside the norm and ask tough questions about ideas that everyone else accepts without hesitation. I’m convinced that many people live in ignorant bliss because, even if they’re wrong, they’d rather avoid the pressure of standing up against the crowd. It’s simply easier to go along with everyone else’s opinion—even if it’s wrong.

Questioning the majority opinion is one of the best ways to think critically and stay open-minded. It encourages you not to accept popular views at face value, but to look for evidence, challenge assumptions, and remain open to new ideas. Many great innovations have come from people who dared to challenge the crowd—with humility and curiosity.

Keep in mind that the same crowd who took off their coats and shouted “Hosanna!” when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey also shouted “Crucify Him!” just a few days later.

Popular opinion has always been unpredictable. However, its influence has grown even stronger in recent years. Our massive connectivity through instant communication and social media has made it possible for crowds to completely change their views within minutes. The back-and-forth nature of popular opinion proves that you can’t trust the crowd simply because of its size.

I hope this article encourages you to stay humble and sparks your curiosity. These qualities are essential for personal growth and spiritual maturity, especially in a world that often pressures us to keep up with trends or follow the crowd.

Never dismiss the possibility that you—or others—might be wrong. It’s the first step toward discovering new and powerful truths. After all, many of history’s greatest thinkers and innovators once stood as a minority of one.