May 15, 2025
Contrarian
Warren Buffett
With the recent news of Warren Buffett stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of 2025, it brings the word "Contrarian" to mind!
So I gathered and aggregated some information about this word!
A contrarian is someone who constantly challenges or opposes popular opinion or prevailing wisdom, and is known for their independent thinking and willingness to defy norms.
Dictionary Definitions:
- Oxford: A person who rejects popular opinion, especially in stock market dealings
- Merriam-Webster: Someone who takes a contrary position, especially in investing
- Cambridge: A person who expresses opinions that disagree with others, often in an unpopular way
Contrarians aren't necessarily always right, but they aren't afraid to question the status quo, even when it's unpopular.
Here is a list of some notable contrarians across different fields:
- Warren Buffett: Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful
- Nassim Nicholas Taleb: Author of The Black Swan, he rants (intelligently) against economists, fragility, and herd mentality
- Quentin Tarantino: Broke all the rules about structure, dialogue, and violence—and made it iconic
- Ricky Gervais: Blasts celebrity culture, religion, and social sensitivity with equal parts wit and savagery
- Thomas Sowell: Economist who bucks popular progressive narratives. Loved by some, loathed by others
- Bill Murray: Ditches agents, answers roles via voicemail, crashes parties, does what he wants, when he wants
- Socrates: Questioned everything in Athens, annoyed people so much they made him drink hemlock (basically invented contrarian philosophy)
- Joe Rogan: Podcasts a mix of taboo, fringe, and alternative perspectives—some love it, some don't
Key Traits
[Key Traits]
Independent Thinking: Contrarians question popular opinions, seeking evidence over conformity
Comfort with Discomfort: They face criticism but remain firm in their beliefs
Patience & Timing: They act when the timing is right, even if it means waiting longer
Emotional Control: They resist groupthink, avoiding panic or trend-chasing
Curiosity: Contrarians explore unconventional ideas and challenge norms
[Being Contrarian]
Pros: Contrarians drive innovation and uncover new perspectives, often leading to groundbreaking ideas or investments
Cons: They may face resistance or be wrong until proven right
[Why They're Necessary]
They question assumptions and push systems to be more honest, often fostering creativity, better decisions, and success in fields like investing and entrepreneurship
[The Contrarian Mindset]
Independence: They evaluate situations deeply and don't follow the crowd
Confidence & Resilience: They stand firm in their views, even under criticism
Curiosity: They explore alternative ideas and challenge conventional beliefs
Open-Mindedness: While they disagree, they remain open to all perspectives
[How Many Contrarians Are There?]
Around 10%-20% of people exhibit consistent contrarian tendencies, according to research
In summary, being a contrarian isn't about disagreement for its own sake. It's about seeing opportunities others overlook, leading to creative breakthroughs and fresh insights
Books
"A contrarian approach is just as foolish as a follow-the-crowd strategy. What's required is thinking rather than polling."
- Warren Buffet
Warren Buffett’s quote emphasizes that blindly following the crowd or always going against it (contrarianism for the sake of it) is equally flawed.
What's truly important is independent thinking, not just reacting to popular opinion or opposing it for the sake of being different.
The key, as Buffett points out, is to think critically and make decisions based on solid reasoning,
rather than simply following trends or taking the opposite stance.
Books to Cultivate a Contrarian Mindset (I've read the four below, and they’re excellent):
[From Nassim Nicholas Taleb]
- The Black Swan: Challenges the idea that the future is predictable. It's about rare, unexpected events that shape the world and why people miss them
- Fooled by Randomness: Shows how humans mistake luck for skill, especially in areas like finance or success. Eye-opening for thinking independently
- Antifragile: Goes even deeper, not just surviving chaos but thriving in it. Very contrarian take on strength and growth
[From Daniel Kahneman]
- Thinking, Fast and Slow: Teaches you how most people think automatically (and often incorrectly). Helps you spot cognitive biases and avoid groupthink
Thanks for reading,
JS.
"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."
- George S. Patton