go against the grain

Cultural  

1. To go contrary to someone's natural disposition: “Having to get up this early in the morning really goes against my grain.” This refers to the fact that someone who rubs his hand against the grain on a piece of lumber will get splinters.

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Example Sentences

Many of our best picks resulted from a willingness to go against the grain with out-of-favor stocks—and impeccable timing.

From Barron's

We should nurture them as an occasionally irresponsible group that can go against the grain of society and pronounce hard truths.

From Salon

David Murdoch: Going to go against the grain here and say this tie isn't over.

From BBC

That willingness to go against the grain, to share the space regardless of race, created the conditions for Washington Hall to mean a whole lot to a whole lot of people — long after the Danish Brotherhood had left.

From Seattle Times

“That’s not how people behaved. But to see the beginnings of that kind of progress, to not maintain racial segregation in business — obviously, they wanted to make money from this large building, but they were also willing to go against the grain.”

From Seattle Times