swim upstream

swim upstream

To go against or disagree with a prevailing or popularly held opinion or perspective; to act or behave contrary to the majority of others. When I was in college, I really swam upstream with some radical opinions, but as I've grown older, I've found myself falling more in line with others. I don't understand why you always have to swim upstream instead of making things a little easier on yourself!
See also: swim
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • go against the tide
  • swim against the current
  • swim against the stream
  • swim against the tide
  • swim with the current
  • swim with the stream
  • swim with the tide
  • swim with the tide, to
  • go with the stream
  • go with the tide
References in periodicals archive
Baffles - which are panels that direct water flow - will be installed to help the fish swim upstream.
A third alternative is to try to swim upstream. We are dissatisfied with, or downright scared of, what we see ahead on the river.
Rick Swart said the killings were necessary to save migrating steelhead that has been ravaged by the sea lions in recent years as they swim upstream from the ocean to spawn.
Even more tiresome are the negative perceptions we Moros have to swim upstream against, including the perception that we Moros are to blame for the politics of patronage we are trying so hard to get away from.
"We are not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom, go against the flow, and swim upstream with bold ideas: in fact, I would go so far to say that it is this organizational cultural identity that has made Araco so successful," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
If, after being caught, they are then released back in to the river, their chances of being able to complete their risky and dangerous swim upstream to spawn will, at best, be seriously reduced.
NHDES will be getting $370,000 to remove two dams on the Bellamy River to allow fish to swim upstream to spawning habitats and restore 21 acres of floodplain wetlands.
The Tyne is now regarded as the best river in England for salmon, overcoming decades of industry and pollution to see around 40,000 fish swim upstream.
Two flyfishing groups had sought a court order barring Fish and Wildlife from releasing more than 360,000 smolts in the McKenzie until the state found a way to limit to 10 percent the proportion of hatchery salmon that swim upstream and spawn with wild salmon.
"What are our assurances that this new waste site will not leech PCBs, mercury and other toxic chemicals into the surrounding lands and water, contaminating not only our community but also the fish who swim upstream every year?"
The farm salmon, airlifted from Scotland, instinctively swim upstream; radicals fight the plan, and the entire absurd and unachievable project is an upstream journey of faith to make the impossible possible.
It confirmed that fish are not swimming behind the rocks just because there is slower flow, they are actually using the energy of individual vortices to help them swim upstream, much like a martial artist would redirect an opponent's energy to do his bidding.
The name appears to be a symbolic nod to the persevering fish renowned for its ability to swim upstream.
Lately you're worrying about things that are not in your control and unless you start to go with the flow a little more instead of constantly trying to swim upstream you get to your destination.