Firsts Quote by Ambrose Bierce
“When publicly censured our first instinct is to make everybody a codefendant.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Devil’s Dictionary, 1906
The author suggests that when someone is publicly condemned, the instinct is to implicate everyone else as equally culpable.
In simple terms: Public condemnation leads to over‑blaming.
Key Takeaway
Beware of collective scapegoating.
Themes
justice
public opinion
scapegoating
morality
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
critical.
When to use this quote
- legal trials
- media coverage
- political discourse
Key Concepts
ethical reasoning
social dynamics
groupthink
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we tend to extend blame to all?
- What safeguards prevent mass condemnation?
A Different Perspective
Over‑blaming can dilute responsibility and fairness.
![“Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and the screenplay of Simon (Beaufoy) and I was reading it, even before the shoot, some kind of sounds came into my mind and I put some stuff [down] and sent it to…” quote by A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/a-r-rahman-4481_cutting_since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-o_539.jpg)
