How resisting conformity can lead to real world progress | Todd Rose for Big Think

Yet, as important as conformity is, we are not very good at estimating group consensus.

We assume the majority in a group are those with the loudest voices that are repeated the most often. Unfortunately, this can lead us to adopt beliefs that the majority never really held, resulting in collective illusions that become a reality. 

When we deviate from the group, our brains trigger an 'error signal' that short circuits everything else to let you know something is fundamentally wrong, and you should pay attention.

Public shaming is an example of punishing people who deviate from the group. However, group consensus is not a guarantee that it is a fact. It may be a collective illusion. 

The group may not believe something, but you are willing to conform because you think the group agrees.