Even that top 1% that manages to break through gets written off as cranks and "crackpots" by most, at least early on. It's the fact that an elite and discerning few, whose opinions are the only ones that matter to us, can recognize our talents that keeps us going.
Eh, to be fair, it is often very difficult to tell who is a crackpot or just being cranky, and who is a legit dissident/free thinker. We (ya, I include myself) can develop behind a wall of understanding and support, but eventually we want to change the world, which means...somehow appealing to the broader community.
