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About this quote

What does it mean?
Agreeing with the majority often indicates a need for change. Progress usually requires challenging common opinions.
In plain terms
If you agree with everyone, you should question things.
What can you take from it?
Majority opinion can signal when reform is needed.

Where it applies

  • political movements
  • organizational change
  • social reform

Putting it to work

  • question consensus
  • seek minority viewpoints

Questions to consider

  • When was the last time you challenged a popular view?
  • Is consensus always a sign of stagnation?

Another view

Sometimes the majority is right and reform is unnecessary.

More from Mark Twain

  1. Education consists mainly in what we have unlearned.

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  2. Against our traditions we are now entering upon an unjust and trivial war, a war against a helpless people, and for a base object - robbery. At first our citiz…

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  3. Some men worship rank, some worship heroes, some worship power, some worship God, & over these ideals they dispute & cannot unite - but they all worship money.

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