The Mechanism of Exclusion

Why do we not believe Cassandra?

The truth is always difficult to hear. It is raw, icy, stings the eyes, and causes pain. Cassandra disturbs us and forces us to call into question our strategy, beliefs, and comfort. The group too often prefers the cohesion of the herd to the truth. And this bias, which is rather nice and well-intentioned at the start, leads us to mistake a lucid vision for systematic opposition. The black sheep warns the herd about the cliff, but they all jump off merrily.