“Corn-Pone Opinions” by Mark Twain (1901)
I like how Emerson felt about conformity, not to mention - to be exceptional, one must be a non-conformist.  Many would rather be accepted than exceptional  At some point in your life, you may have to make that choice.<p>The problem with public opinion in our times is this idea that the crowd is always right.  Something is true because the crowd says it is.  The crowd saying it is, makes it true.  Sane is not the same as true.
Sane just means many people believe it.  The person who believes something no one else does is considered insane.  When the lone &quot;insane&quot; person is vindicated, great wealth and success seem to follow.