Done Quote by Anonymous
“It is a good sign in a nation when things are done badly. It shows that all the people are doing them. And it is bad sign in a nation when such things are done very well, for it shows that only a few experts and eccentrics are doing them, and that the nation is merely looking on.”
About This Quote
A nation’s competence is reflected by how well people perform tasks; poor outcomes suggest widespread involvement, while excellence suggests only a few experts handle them.
In simple terms: Bad outcomes show many are involved; good outcomes show few experts.
Key Takeaway
Assess who is responsible for outcomes.
Themes
society
competence
expertise
participation
quality
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
sociological
observational
When to use this quote
- public policy evaluation
- organizational performance
- community standards
Key Concepts
collective responsibility
skill distribution
social health
Questions to Reflect On
- Are experts always better?
- How can societies improve collective competence?
A Different Perspective
The view ignores that expertise can improve overall quality and that not all poor outcomes are due to mass participation.
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
