Sayings have to be short and memorable, meaning they usually lack nuance, are wrong depending on context, or are just straight up wrong. That's why I don't like the bridge jumping one; it's the same reason I don't like most sayings. I don't think the bridge jumping saying is "straight up wrong." Simplistic and lacking nuance? Yes.
I think you're right in that few make their own decisions and defer to their "heroes." I'd instead say few truly think critically, despite believing they do.
There are always people who do things nobody else does, don't do things everyone else does, do things with an uncommon approach, or hold opinions that are considered outside the sphere of common thought. As a whole, this is okay. Not just okay, but good. Good for making societies interesting.
When everyone does x, that doesn't mean you should be doing x. Divergence sometimes proves righteous. This is what I presume is intended by the bridge jumping saying.
However, I feel that many are far too arrogant in their divergencies. If something is different from everything else, that does not make it inately better. Often, it is not.
This is especially true in the West. Western (especially American) culture is so individualistic that arrogance is rampant. How often do people really stop think whether they are really right about an ingrained divergency, to think that maybe they are in the wrong...maybe they're not a rare enlightened one. For example, maybe prevaling theory from experts might have just a modicum of validity. Maybe more than some nunce's gut feeling.
Anyway, I'm rambling so to get to the point:
If everyone else is jumping off a bridge, don't jump blindly, but question why you aren't jumping. You might be right not to jump. However, as the only one not jumping, you should consider if jumping might be just fine. Maybe everyone else has a good reason to be jumping.
I see where you're coming from.
Sayings have to be short and memorable, meaning they usually lack nuance, are wrong depending on context, or are just straight up wrong. That's why I don't like the bridge jumping one; it's the same reason I don't like most sayings. I don't think the bridge jumping saying is "straight up wrong." Simplistic and lacking nuance? Yes.
I think you're right in that few make their own decisions and defer to their "heroes." I'd instead say few truly think critically, despite believing they do.
There are always people who do things nobody else does, don't do things everyone else does, do things with an uncommon approach, or hold opinions that are considered outside the sphere of common thought. As a whole, this is okay. Not just okay, but good. Good for making societies interesting.
When everyone does x, that doesn't mean you should be doing x. Divergence sometimes proves righteous. This is what I presume is intended by the bridge jumping saying.
However, I feel that many are far too arrogant in their divergencies. If something is different from everything else, that does not make it inately better. Often, it is not.
This is especially true in the West. Western (especially American) culture is so individualistic that arrogance is rampant. How often do people really stop think whether they are really right about an ingrained divergency, to think that maybe they are in the wrong...maybe they're not a rare enlightened one. For example, maybe prevaling theory from experts might have just a modicum of validity. Maybe more than some nunce's gut feeling.
Anyway, I'm rambling so to get to the point:
If everyone else is jumping off a bridge, don't jump blindly, but question why you aren't jumping. You might be right not to jump. However, as the only one not jumping, you should consider if jumping might be just fine. Maybe everyone else has a good reason to be jumping.