“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).”
This is one of many famous quotations produced by Mark Twain and, more than any other, speaks to his own nature. He was a contrarian who questioned the received wisdom of his society—or any society—and encouraged people to think for themselves. He always believed it was precisely the things everyone around you assumes to be true that is most in need of questioning.
But where did this contrarian come from?
. . .
For more, listen to the Podcast episode and check out my book, History Stories for Everyone, where I dive deeper into this and some of history’s other most fascinating and relatable human stories:
