The problem with the race to the bottom is that you might win
More and more people now have jobs that require them to confront the risk of appearing stupid on a regular basis.
Initiating is really and truly difficult, and that's what leaders do. They see something others are ignoring and they jump on it.
Earn trust, earn trust, earn trust. Then you can worry about the rest.
Tell your lizard (brain) to shut up.
And it doesn't matter to me whether you're running a coffee shop or you're an intellectual or you're in business or flying hot air balloons. People who can spread ideas, regardless of what those ideas are, win. But consumers, they got way more choices than they used to and way less time.