zlacker

Rowboat politics. If one of the rowers decides that she doesn't like the direction the coxswain is steering and starts to row in the other direction, it tends to annoy the other rowers. This is true whether she is right or not. If she can't change the coxswain's mind it's better for both her and the rest of the crew for her to find another rowboat.

>>hirund+(OP)
Your analogy fails right away with a simple example: if the renegade rower realizes that the team is rowing towards a waterfall, then it is indeed not in the team’s best interest to push him or her out.

>>enrage+c1
Pioneers are seldom welcomed with open arms and often made into pariahs. Not picking a side here, just stating a fact.

The fact is also such that most pioneers would not end up having chosen a better direction than status quo.

The harder some people try and toe the line, the harder some other people will try to rebel, and then the system starts trending more towards extremes.