What if "well, that's just what everyone does" is just wrong? I trimmed the word "now" from the quote because lazy sloppy short-term thinking is nothing new. Good configuration management takes a lot of work and pays great returns, only not in the very short-term. It's not surprising that inexperienced devs will fall into this trap.

And just why do you "Have to follow the herd"? Pretty sure just about everything new and creative (good or bad) was a result of not following the herd. I recommend going where you need to go. If a herd starts following you, that's great. At least they'll be slipping and sliding on the shit you leave behind, not the other way round.