And those people should not be listened to who keep saying the voice of the people is the voice of God, since the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Crowds often act irrationally, so their voice should not be equated with divine will.
- In plain terms
- The crowd is often mad, not divine.
- What can you take from it?
- Question mob mentality as divine voice.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is the crowd right?
- What guides truth?
Another view
Crowd consensus can sometimes reflect valid collective wisdom.
More from Alcuin
What makes bitter things sweet? Hunger.
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