Being a Contrarian

What is a contrarian? A person who is in opposition to the popular or majority opinion. Holding and expressing a contrarian position is not easy or comfortable. Going against the majority can have significant risks. To your reputation, to your job, in some circumstances to your life.

But contrarians are also celebrated. The successful contrarians, to be precise. Getting the majority to look at a problem differently, to accept a view that goes against what most people think or believe, is challenging. But if one can pull off such a feat, it is noticed, remembered, and valued.

The common thing is a discussion where most people don’t voice an opinion at all, because either they agree with or simply do not want to go against the majority. Then some speak in favor of the popular position, because they genuinely believe it, or pretend that they do. Finally, some just go against the general opinion every time. They usually refer to themselves as the skeptics and critics of the group. Or so they think.

Naval Ravikant said it best: “A contrarian isn’t one who always objects — that’s a conformist of a different sort. A contrarian reasons independently, from the ground up, and resists pressure to conform.”

Whatever you understand when you say the word, my point is — aim to become an independent thinker. That includes formulating your own position and also developing an awareness of when you are being manipulated, or when your ego or biases get in the way.

So what is it we can do to become independent thinkers? To be a contrarian not for the sake of opposing a position, but to defend positions that you truly believe in. To move the discussion forward. To solve problems. To make the world around us a tiny bit better.

The first necessary step is to grow. To learn. You need to learn how things are, how they are done. Not to go along with dogma. But to know the state of things as well as possible. Question things, first to learn, then to influence. To become a pro in the domain in which you operate, it is only then you can make a change.

Again, the point is not to go against the common view. There is a reason why that common view persists. Most of those who go against the commonly accepted position actually turn out to be wrong. But we are not talking about that. We are talking about cultivating the confidence to be a contrarian when necessary.

Remember:

• Don’t swim along with the tide
• Don’t swim against the tide
• Just swim where you need to swim

Listen to different opinions, review different perspectives. Take your ego out of the equation. Reflect on what influences your opinions. It won’t be easy, you will get things wrong. You will learn to choose your battles. You will then gradually develop your unique view, your spot, your angle. But the point is, of course, to not let it become another dogma.

Do the work. Then don’t aim at being a contrarian, but be comfortable being one if necessary.