Why would you follow a weather vane?

[uppityperson]

14. A compass tells you nothing about current conditions, only which way is nsew

Compasses are useful for navigating, but having a map is also useful. Limitations of compasses as they tell you nothing about the conditions.

A weathervane tells you which way the wind is blowing and if the storm is blowing, then it tells you which direction from you it is. Weathervanes are also useful for things like landing airplanes. i wouldn't use a weathervane to travel cross country in the mountains, but they are good at telling you where the storm is.

To escape a storm you need to know where it is (weathervane) and make sure once you run away that you continue in the right direction (compass)

I am sure you meant this broadly politically, but no. A compass only tells you a direction, not what is happening in that direction. A weathervane tells you where the winds are coming from. It is good to have both as they do different things.