I’m not sure I have an answer, Randy, but I can tell you that I’m like you in that I sometimes do what most people don’t do. Recently I took up the hobby of birding (formerly known as “birdwatching”.) Not many of my friends or acquaintances do it, and many don’t “get it”. They think it’s nerdy and odd. But that’s okay with me. When I was younger I was more concerned about what people thought of me. I wanted to be cool. Now I really don’t care.

Maybe the reason people want to do what their peers do is because they want to be accepted. They’re afraid that if they go their own way and do something unpopular, that they might be rejected or made fun of.