The Perils of Maverickhood

(I'm cleaning out the files. As it is no longer election season, I can post this and still be politically neutral.)

Maverick: " ... a bullock or heifer that has not been branded, and is unclaimed or wild; -- said to be from Maverick, the name of a cattle owner in Texas who neglected to brand his cattle."

I used to like the word 'maverick'. "Has not been branded... unclaimed ... wild" has a mystique to it that's hard to beat. But it really just means 'fell through the cracks', and/or 'got away when no one was looking'. And while 'wild' and 'unclaimed' are now synonymous with 'rebel' and 'independent', the word 'maverick' doesn't mean that you are particularly good at anything, or that you are superior to those who didn't escape the branding process. It doesn't even mean that you had to fight to escape being branded.

But somewhere along the way the idea of a 'maverick' began to evoke connotations of competence and effectiveness, presumably because being outside/above/beyond 'the system' meant a greater freedom to act in a way that could accomplish the desired (presumably good) ends. This certainly seems to be what we are supposed to think when we hear certain persons self-label as 'mavericks'. But "a person who thinks independently; a lone dissenter; a non-conformist or rebel" must be able to function within any system s/he hopes to influence. This holds true for the systems of science, as well as those of politics. While both systems benefit from people who aren't afraid to voice a new or unpopular opinion, the mantle of maverickhood sets a person upon a perilous path.

The perils of maverickhood are these...

1) Using 'non-conformity' as a shield for ineptitude and/or failure to understand the mainstream positions, or simply as a strategy to win attention.

2) Thinking that when/if you win points for independent thinking, the game gets easier. In reality, it gets harder.

3) Assuming that validated independent thinking in one area means that your wisdom in all areas is superior.

4) Assuming that having been noticed for rogue thought or action means that all of your subsequent thoughts/actions must be equally rogue in nature. After all, you have a reputation to maintain.

5) Listening to people who, when you successfully rebel and accomplish one thing, often expect that you can accomplish many more things that fall outside of your area(s) of expertise. (If you're smart, you don't lose your perspective. If not...)

(Interestingly enough, the use of the word 'maverick' by certain high-profile persons dropped off sharply just after I wrote (but did not post) this. Perhaps the incredulity was more widespread...)

The next time you hear or are tempted to use the word 'maverick', remember that it really just means 'got away when no one was looking.' ;)