1945 Quote by Aleister Crowley
““Every individual has some qualities that endear him to some other. And per contra, I doubt if there is any class which is not detestable to some other class. Artists, police, the clergy, "reds," foxhunters, Freemasons, Jews, "heaven-born," women's clubwomen (especially in U.S.A.), "Methodys," golfers, dog-lovers; you can't find one body without its "natural" enemies. It's right, what's worse; every class, as a class, is almost sure to have more defects than qualities. As soon as you put men together, they somehow sink, corporatively, below the level of the worst of the individuals composing it. Collect scholars on a club committee, or men of science on a jury; all their virtues vanish, and their vices pop out, reinforced by the self-confidence which the power of numbers is bound to bestow.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Defect of the Group”, 1923
Human groups inevitably reveal more flaws than virtues; collective decision‑making amplifies vices and suppresses individual merit.
In simple terms: Groups magnify flaws, hide virtues.
Key Takeaway
Beware groupthink; value individual judgment.
Themes
society
group dynamics
human nature
politics
bias
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
social
When to use this quote
- leadership
- policy making
- team building
Key Concepts
Collective bias
power of numbers
social conformity
Questions to Reflect On
- When does a group enhance versus diminish quality?
- How can we mitigate collective bias?
A Different Perspective
Groups can also achieve synergy; not all collectives are detrimental.
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