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About this quote

What does it mean?
Individuals in a large negative event often feel no personal responsibility for the outcome.
In plain terms
People hide their guilt in big disasters.
What can you take from it?
Small actions in large groups can lead to shared blamelessness.

Where it applies

  • crowd behavior
  • corporate negligence
  • political apathy

Putting it to work

  • take individual responsibility
  • avoid mob mentality

Questions to consider

  • Who is responsible in a crowd?
  • Do we feel guilty for collective harm?

Another view

Not everyone feels blameless in disasters.

More from Voltaire

  1. Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.

    Permalink to quote #100
  2. Nothing can be more contrary to religion and the clergy than reason and common sense.

    Permalink to quote #102
  3. I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

    Permalink to quote #99

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