When the feedback loop is long and expensive you'll cling to any signal you have.

You'll lean into superstitions.

Including things like taking offhand comments from execs as extremely important constraints to optimize for.

These kinds of superstitions can be self-strengthening.

If everyone has the same long feedback loop, everyone will cling to any signal.

If everyone else is taking the signal seriously, and you don't, you'll stick your neck out even further.

How much your neck is sticking out is relative to what everyone else is doing.

Why risk it? Why not just go with the thing everyone else is taking seriously, just in case it is real?

This can give a surprisingly durable dynamic that no one actually thinks is that important.