You and the herd. Going with the herd / following the rule is good / useful when the herd itself is good / useful / when the rules are good. Rebellion / doing things your own way / trusting yourself is useful when the herd is misguided / bad or for some reason the herd emasculates you. The herd on its own has no value. The herd has its own survival drive at expenses of yours. Your own drive on its own has no value. Same survival instinct pulls you in or pushes you out.

You just want to survive. The drive that puts you in the herd is the same drive that breaks you apart from the herd. Its your own survival. The reason behind the most altruist action is the same one behind the most egoistical action. It´s you. To properly survive, you have to blend in. We´re social animals. To win, though, you have to do your own: do what no one else is doing, reach where no one else has reached, be indispensable, be special. Blending lowers value; standing out raises it.

And value in this context goes along with danger, safety and responsibility. The more you blend the safer, the less you´re responsible, the more anything you do is to blame on somebody else, the more of a victim, or a sheep, you are. The more you stand out, the higher your value, but also the more dangerous you are, the bigger repercussions your mistakes bring, yet the greater your victories. Balance blending with bold actions defines success.

Totally standing out / breaking completely apart from the herd isnt alpha anymore but omega. If you transcend the rules of any game, say, basketball, to the point the game itself is unrecognizable, then you´re a threat to that herd. On the other hand, you might invent a new sport, a new society, a new herd for others to come. Following most of the rules and breaking a couple is the recipe for genius. Awareness navigates this perfectly.