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About this quote

What does it mean?
When you find yourself aligning with the majority, it's a sign that change is needed.
In plain terms
Being with the majority may indicate stagnation.
What can you take from it?
Question consensus to drive reform.

Where it applies

  • social norms
  • political movements

Putting it to work

  • seek alternative viewpoints
  • support minority ideas

Questions to consider

  • When is conformity beneficial?
  • How do you spot healthy dissent?

Another view

Majority views can sometimes be correct and beneficial.

More from Samuel Langhorne Clemens

  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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