Mike Vinson is the director of counseling and substance abuse services at the College of Charleston. He’s spent 35 years in the field of psychology and agrees with that simple but truthful diagnosis of human behavior.

“Fundamental to human psychology is getting approval and being liked,” Vinson said. “On one hand we tend to admire mavericks. But the Chinese have an expression that says the nail that sticks out gets hammered.”

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/jul/08/how-kids-multiply-and-divide/