As soon as you put men together, they somehow sink, corporatively, below the level of the worst of the individuals composing it. Collect scholars on a club committee, or men of science on a jury; all their virtues vanish, and their vices pop out, reinforced by the self-confidence which the power of numbers is bound to bestow.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Groups tend to degrade, as collective confidence amplifies vices and suppresses virtues.
- In plain terms
- People in groups act worse than alone.
- What can you take from it?
- Beware of groupthink and overconfidence.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What structures prevent group decay?
- Can collective action ever enhance virtue?
Another view
Some groups function well with proper checks.
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