The Art of Insubordination

1. Conformity is a powerful, often unconscious, human drive.

We rationalize the existing state of affairs when we feel an undesirable situation is “psychologically real.”

Deep-seated need. Humans possess an overwhelming motivation to fit in, stick to the herd, and accept conventional wisdom. This drive is so strong that people often conform even when it's against their self-interest or when the status quo is clearly flawed or oppressive. Examples include:

• Basketball players refusing effective underhand free throws due to social stigma.
• Black and Hispanic Americans rationalizing discriminatory systems they inhabit.

Psychological boosters. Several factors fuel this voluntary conformity. We find comfort in the familiar status quo, especially when feeling a lack of personal control. Systemic threats cause us to rally behind existing authorities, even if they are flawed. Dependence on a system, even an oppressive one, makes us hesitant to challenge it, and hope for future improvement can lead us to tolerate present injustices.

Status quo bias. This inherent preference for the established order means people blindly assume the prevailing system is better simply because it exists. Overcoming this bias requires acknowledging its presence and understanding the psychological mechanisms that make it difficult to resist, preparing both rebels and the majority for the uphill battle of change.

2. Principled insubordination is essential for progress and innovation.

Outlaw dissent, and you slow the speed of cultural evolution.

Catalyst for change. Progress, whether large or small, often requires courageous individuals to defy social norms and challenge unhelpful orthodoxies. Historical figures like Elizabeth Jennings, who fought segregation on New York streetcars a century before Rosa Parks, demonstrate how individual acts of defiance can spark broader movements and policy changes.

Counters cognitive biases. Dissenters disrupt the majority's tendency towards biased thinking, such as confirmation bias and motivated reasoning. The presence of even one dissenter prompts deeper information processing and a more critical evaluation of existing beliefs, leading to better decision-making.

• Homogeneous groups seek less information and are overconfident.
• Groups with dissenters explore more alternatives and make better choices.

Boosts creativity. Principled insubordination stimulates divergent thinking and enhances creative problem-solving. Studies show that teams with trained insubordinates produce more original ideas, even if it initially increases tension. Comfort being a "minority of one" in childhood predicts greater creative achievement in adulthood.

3. Effective rebels persuade by understanding their audience and strategy.

Scientists have established that people with minority status (a designation that by definition applies to rebels) instigate change more readily if they’re consistent in what they say, without being overly rigid.

Insider advantage. Rebels are more likely to be heard and influence the majority if they are perceived as members of the in-group rather than outsiders. Establishing common bonds and demonstrating shared identity builds "idiosyncrasy credits" that can be spent when proposing unconventional ideas.

Spark curiosity, not fear. Presenting dissenting ideas in a nonthreatening, conciliatory manner is crucial. While data and strong arguments are necessary, alienating the audience with anger or judgment can cause them to cling more intensely to the status quo. A friendly tone and focus on shared goals increase receptiveness.

Project credibility. Rebels enhance their persuasive power by appearing objective, signaling courageous self-sacrifice, and maintaining flexible consistency. Highlighting the personal costs of dissent increases perceived trustworthiness. Being consistently committed to core values, while remaining open to minor concessions, builds long-term influence.

4. Building diverse and supportive alliances is crucial for rebels.

Our brains interpret the presence of an ally as an extra pair of hands and set of lobes to help carry the load when taking on mental, physical, and social challenges.

Shared burden. Defying the status quo is mentally and emotionally taxing. Allies provide essential support, offloading some of the pressure and making difficult tasks seem less daunting. The mere presence of a trusted friend can literally alter perceptions of difficulty.

Seek complementary strengths. Rebels benefit most from allies who offer intellectual or emotional capabilities that expand their own, rather than just those with power or wealth. Diverse perspectives and different emotional support styles ("emotionships") enhance a rebel's effectiveness and well-being.

• Allies who challenge your thinking.
• Allies who provide emotional regulation support.
• Allies who are "net positive energizers."

Build trust through shared adversity. Strong alliances are forged by confronting painful challenges together. Sharing vulnerability and enduring difficult moments side-by-side speeds up intimacy and cooperation, creating a bond that sustains rebels through persecution and setbacks.

5. Psychological flexibility helps rebels endure the emotional toll of dissent.

When bad shit goes down, the psychologically flexible person doesn’t freak to the point of breakdown.

Navigating distress. Rebellion inevitably brings negative emotions like fear, anxiety, and disappointment. Psychological flexibility is the ability to withstand this distress without being derailed, quickly recovering to pursue valued goals despite internal discomfort.

The Dashboard. The Psychological Flexibility Dashboard is a four-step process to build this resilience:

• Values: Remind yourself why your mission is important ("What and who is important to me?").
• Discomfort: Acknowledge and label unwanted thoughts and feelings ("What unwanted thoughts, feelings, memories, and bodily sensations am I experiencing?").
• Coping: Identify unhelpful reactions to distress ("What am I doing to reduce, avoid, or control unwanted mental content?").
• Action: Commit to behaviors aligned with your values, even in the face of pain ("What am I doing or could be doing to chase my values?").

Embrace discomfort. Instead of avoiding negative emotions, psychological flexibility encourages experiencing them fully. Techniques like cognitive defusion help create distance from thoughts, reducing their power. This allows rebels to channel energy towards meaningful action rather than escaping pain.

6. Winning rebels must actively prevent hypocrisy and embrace former adversaries.

Many successful insubordinates underperform once they gain power, abandoning their values and failing to deliver on the good they promised to do.

The rebel's discontent. When rebels gain power, they often feel alienated from the former majority who now adopt their views. Lingering grudges and distrust can lead the new majority to disregard or mistreat the newly powerless, perpetuating cycles of conflict.

The rebel's nightmare. The newly powerless often react to their loss of status with hostility and distrust, which in turn makes the winning rebels defensive and less open to dissent. This antagonism hinders cooperation and prevents the new majority from benefiting from diverse viewpoints.

The rebel's blindness. Victorious rebels risk becoming unaware of their own hypocrisy, abandoning the values they championed while in the minority. Fear of losing power can lead them to suppress dissent and create rules that favor their in-group, mirroring the injustices they fought against. To avoid this, winning rebels must:

• Actively seek common ground with former adversaries.
• Provide assurances that diverse opinions are still valued.
• Practice deliberate humility and self-awareness.
• Block measures that unfairly disadvantage the minority.

7. Groups thrive by cultivating cultures that welcome and extract wisdom from dissent.

To increase a group’s ability to benefit from diversity of all kinds, including people who harbor ideas we might find “weird” or “strange,” we must abandon the idea that merely recruiting diverse individuals and adding them into the mix will enhance performance.

Beyond demographics. Simply having diverse individuals in a group doesn't guarantee better performance. Groups must intentionally create cultures that encourage everyone, especially those on the margins, to contribute their unique knowledge and perspectives.

Epistemic motivation. Cultivating values like autonomy, critical thinking, and the desire to seek useful information is key. Groups with strong "epistemic motivation" are more open to non-conformist ideas, viewing disagreement as a springboard for progress rather than a threat to cohesion.

• Explicitly state values of critical thinking and autonomy.
• Minimize the influence of status on whose ideas are heard.
• Build in time for contemplation and deliberation.

Debiasing strategies. Counteracting intergroup bias and cliquishness is essential. Techniques like perspective-taking training help group members empathize with those who are different and see past stereotypes. Actively challenging confirmation biases by seeking information that contradicts assumptions also helps.

8. Raising the next generation of principled rebels requires intentional nurturing.

If our species is to survive, all of us must steer the next generation to be more adept at non-conformity than we were.

Foster agency. To become principled insubordinates, youth must believe in their ability to make a difference. Parents and teachers can build this confidence by affirming their potential, highlighting past successes, and reducing "belonging uncertainty" for those who feel like outsiders.

Support autonomy and interests. Allowing kids to direct their own learning and pursue personally meaningful interests fosters intrinsic motivation and a sense of control. Adults should act as supportive "champions," listening and asking guiding questions rather than giving advice, allowing kids to develop self-direction.

Teach critical thinking and bravery. Equipping youth to spot "bullshit" by questioning information sources and evaluating evidence is crucial. Exposing them to stories of successful and unsuccessful insubordinates, and teaching them that bravery is acting despite fear, helps them understand the costs and rewards of dissent.

• Ask reflective questions instead of lecturing.
• Encourage questioning authority and conventional wisdom.
• Define different forms of courage (moral, personal, honesty).
• Teach the "bystander effect" and the factors that promote intervention.

Last updated: May 27, 2025