There are times when it makes sense to go against the norm. When it’s clear the consensus is wrong.

Sometimes people come to the same opinion because of careful and correct considerations, and sometimes because of collective ignorance. In other words, what matters is how they reached their conclusion, not the fact that they share it.

Broad consensuses are often correct—especially among experts—but not always. Keep learning, think things through, and if the crowd is right, follow it. If it’s clearly wrong, don’t.

But this detail is essential: the higher the stakes, the clearer and more honest your thinking needs to be. Going against the crowd in small matters doesn’t require much scrutiny because the consequences are trivial. Serious decisions, however, demand serious thought.