Skip to content

A social organism of any sort whatever, large or small, is…

“A social organism of any sort whatever, large or small, is what it is because each member proceeds to his own duty with a trust that the other members will simultaneously do theirs. Wherever a desired result is achieved by the co-operation of many independent persons, its existence as a fact is a…” quote by William James
Download Open image
““A social organism of any sort whatever, large or small, is what it is because each member proceeds to his own duty with a trust that the other members will simultaneously do theirs. Wherever a desired result is achieved by the co-operation of many independent persons, its existence as a fact is a pure consequence of the precursive faith in one another of those immediately concerned.””

William James

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Cooperation succeeds when each person trusts others to fulfill their duties, creating collective outcomes.

In simple terms: Trust and duty enable group success.

Key Takeaway

Rely on mutual trust.

Themes

cooperation trust collective action

Mood

reflective optimistic

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • team projects
  • community initiatives
  • organizational management

Key Concepts

social contract interdependence

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you build trust in a new team?
  • What happens when duties are neglected?
A Different Perspective

Assumes all members are equally reliable.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by William James

Explore all 854 William James quotes

More Independent person quotes

Browse all 44 Independent person quotes