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About this quote

What does it mean?
The most harmful people are often intelligent individuals who act corruptly.
In plain terms
Smart but corrupt people are more dangerous than ignorant ones.
What can you take from it?
Watch out for intelligent people with bad intentions.

Where it applies

  • evaluating leaders
  • organizational politics
  • risk assessment

Putting it to work

  • background checks
  • ethics training

Questions to consider

  • Who holds power in your environment?
  • Are smart people always trustworthy?

Another view

Ignorant people can still cause immense harm.

More from Graham Greene

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  3. Morality comes with the sad wisdom of age, when the sense of curiosity has withered.

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