We’re wired for conformity. That’s why we have to practice dissent. | Todd Rose for Big Think

"I believe our society's gotten to the point where you can't question. You can't provoke. You just have to adhere to consensus."

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Cultural norms are a lubricant that make socializing easier, but if we’re not careful we can overly rely on conformity.

We need to catch ourselves from our natural tendency to go along with the group and we need to speak up with innovative ways to change and make progress.

In the end, you might even find that the group agreed with you all along.

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About Todd Rose:
Todd Rose is the co-founder and president of Populace, a think tank committed to ensuring that all people have the opportunity to pursue fulfilling lives in a thriving society. Prior to Populace, he was a faculty member at Harvard University where he founded the Laboratory for the Science of Individuality and directed the Mind, Brain, and Education program. Todd is the best selling author of Collective Illusions, Dark Horse, and The End of Average. He lives in Burlington, Massachusetts.

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