Not a silly question at all. At some point everyone faces the dilemma of bucking society's ingrained eccentricities and superstitions by pursuing truth, or falling back into an expected role. People make this choice, in both directions, every day. Do we hide behind the security of a stereotype? Do we seriously consider scientifiic evidence that contradicts our fimrly held beliefs? Do we give into the persuasion of popular thought when we have reason to belief it is false?
Truth is always an admirable goal in the abstract, but in reality, most of us do not choose truth when it offers a difficult and obscure path.