--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One person is never as stupid as a group…" description: "\"One person is never as stupid as a group of people. That's why they have lynch mobs, not lynch individuals.\" — Ben Horowitz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/ben-horowitz-1791_group_one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group_148600.png" --- # One person is never as stupid as a group of people. That's… ![“One person is never as stupid as a group of people. That's why they have lynch mobs, not lynch individuals.” quote by Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/ben-horowitz-1791_group_one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group_148600.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/ben-horowitz-1791_group_one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group_148600.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/ben-horowitz-1791_group_one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group_148600.png) > “One person is never as stupid as a group of people. That's why they have lynch mobs, not lynch individuals.” [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Individual stupidity is less likely than collective stupidity, which explains why groups act irrationally, like lynch mobs. **In simple terms:** Groups can be dumber than individuals. Key Takeaway Beware herd mentality. Themes group dynamics mob psychology irrationality Mood critical insightful Type psychological social When to use this quote - political activism - community behavior Key Concepts collective decision‑making social pressure Questions to Reflect On - What triggers collective irrationality? - How can groups improve decision quality? A Different Perspective Groups can also act wisely; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/group/) [Individuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuals/) [Lynch Individuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lynch-individuals-1659148/) [Lynch Mobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lynch-mobs-1659150/) [Mobs Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mobs-lynch-1659151/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-lynch-1659149/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupid Group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-group-1659152/) [Why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why/) ## Related quotes > [What we do is as American as lynch mobs. America has always been a complex place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/what-we-do-is-as-american-as-lynch-mobs-america-has-always-been-a/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [I started my political career facing lynch mobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-filner/i-started-my-political-career-facing-lynch-mobs/) [Bob Filner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-filner/) > [“Streets like the one she lived on were no accident. They were the North’s lynch mobs, she thought bitterly; the method the big cities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-petry/streets-like-the-one-she-lived-on-were-no-accident-they-were-the/) [Ann Petry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-petry/) > [Lynch mobs are democracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/lynch-mobs-are-democracies/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [People huddle together in doctrinaire herds, and the same jackasses who, without the slightest risk, now scream against racism are the same conformist personality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-goad/people-huddle-together-in-doctrinaire-herds-and-the-same-jackasses/) [Jim Goad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-goad/) > [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/) [Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/) > [Individuals should think about the worst-case scenarios and plan for them. The world will be crazier than you think it will be. Put money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/individuals-should-think-about-the-worst-case-scenarios-and-plan-for/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [While most individuals use the flesh of the coconut in their cooking, coconut water and oil are also known to have numerous health benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/while-most-individuals-use-the-flesh-of-the-coconut-in-their-cooking/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) > [“It was probably not so unusual to be a different person with a different man, for all parts were authentically within, waiting to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-shreve/it-was-probably-not-so-unusual-to-be-a-different-person-with-a/) [Anita Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-shreve/) > [It is the responsibility of leadership to provide opportunity, and the responsibility of individuals to contribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pollard/it-is-the-responsibility-of-leadership-to-provide-opportunity-and-the/) [William Pollard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pollard/) > [Exchange of breeding individuals between two populations tends to homogenize their gene pools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-grant/exchange-of-breeding-individuals-between-two-populations-tends-to/) [Peter R. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-grant/) > [It turns out that the God whose word will stand forever does not exist to insure our fantasies that we will not have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/it-turns-out-that-the-god-whose-word-will-stand-forever-does-not/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [Just as Wall Street needs to break the hold of the bonus culture, which drives risk-taking that is rational for individuals but damaging to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-schekman/just-as-wall-street-needs-to-break-the-hold-of-the-bonus-culture/) [Randy Schekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-schekman/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) ## More by Ben Horowitz > [There is no silver bullet. There are always options and the options have consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/there-is-no-silver-bullet-there-are-always-options-and-the-options/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [Groupon looked like a very high valuation, but any investment in a great company at any stage is almost always a good investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/groupon-looked-like-a-very-high-valuation-but-any-investment-in-a/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [By far the most difficult skill I learned as a C.E.O. was the ability to manage my own psychology. Organizational design, process design, metrics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/by-far-the-most-difficult-skill-i-learned-as-a-c-e-o-was-the-ability/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“The hard thing is when those “great people” develop a sense of entitlement and start demanding unreasonable things. The hard thing isn’t setting up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-hard-thing-is-when-those-great-people-develop-a-sense-of/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“As painful as it might be, I knew that we had to get into the broader market in order to understand it well enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/as-painful-as-it-might-be-i-knew-that-we-had-to-get-into-the-broader/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“On my grandfather’s tombstone, you will find his favorite Marx quote: “Life is struggle.” I believe that within that quote lies the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/on-my-grandfather-s-tombstone-you-will-find-his-favorite-marx-quote/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“Bill Campbell: "It's not about the money." Ben Horowitz: "What's it about, Bill?" Bill: "It's about the FUCKING money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/bill-campbell-it-s-not-about-the-money-ben-horowitz-what-s-it-about/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [When the value of the company clearly has fallen below what its assets are worth, having a shareholder who says, 'Let's get a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/when-the-value-of-the-company-clearly-has-fallen-below-what-its/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“out the right product is the innovator’s job, not the customer’s job.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/out-the-right-product-is-the-innovator-s-job-not-the-customer-s-job/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [As companies move to web-based computing they get a lot more servers, which are difficult to manage and control. All kinds of problems can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/as-companies-move-to-web-based-computing-they-get-a-lot-more-servers/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [Breakthrough ideas usually come from guys who look like they're hallucinating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/breakthrough-ideas-usually-come-from-guys-who-look-like-they-re/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [When screening engineers from other companies, its smart to value engineers from great companies more than those from mediocre companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/when-screening-engineers-from-other-companies-its-smart-to-value/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“No matter who you are, you need two kinds of friends in your life. The first kind is one you can call when something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/no-matter-who-you-are-you-need-two-kinds-of-friends-in-your-life-the/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“The difference between being mediocre and magical is often the difference between letting people take creative risk and holding them too tightly accountable. Accountability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-difference-between-being-mediocre-and-magical-is-often-the/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [When raising money, you want to look through the lens of 'What happens when things go wrong?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/when-raising-money-you-want-to-look-through-the-lens-of-what-happens/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Explore all 207 Ben Horowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) ## More Group quotes > [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [A great JRPG captures that feeling of going on an unusual adventure, of bringing a ragtag group of heroes from famine to fortune or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schreier/a-great-jrpg-captures-that-feeling-of-going-on-an-unusual-adventure/) [Jason Schreier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schreier/) > [You basically have a group of four spies who are chosen for a mission they feel for the fact of how competent they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/you-basically-have-a-group-of-four-spies-who-are-chosen-for-a-mission/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [I swam with my first shark in the 1980s. I was 20 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, working with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/i-swam-with-my-first-shark-in-the-1980s-i-was-20-miles-off-the-coast/) [Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/) > [I have a group of fans who pitched in and named a star after me... So. Cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-mendez/i-have-a-group-of-fans-who-pitched-in-and-named-a-star-after-me-so/) [Lindsay Mendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-mendez/) > [It is quite wrong that one group of people should regularly and deliberately flout the law, boast about it and get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-widdecombe/it-is-quite-wrong-that-one-group-of-people-should-regularly-and/) [Ann Widdecombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-widdecombe/) > [I've never belonged to any group that didn't have at least one member who wasn't a total dick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rock-cowles/i-ve-never-belonged-to-any-group-that-didn-t-have-at-least-one-member/) [Rock Cowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rock-cowles/) > [As we progress and become more like the Savior, we can strengthen every group with whom we associate, including families and friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/as-we-progress-and-become-more-like-the-savior-we-can-strengthen/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [I was in an a cappella group in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/i-was-in-an-a-cappella-group-in-high-school/) [Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/) > [Throughout my years, I've had the pleasure of assembling and training what I believe to be the best group of people in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-adair/throughout-my-years-i-ve-had-the-pleasure-of-assembling-and-training/) [Red Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-adair/) > [Maybe it's just my improv and sketch background, but I'm a lot more comfortable in a group. I like sharing focus and populating an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mantzoukas/maybe-it-s-just-my-improv-and-sketch-background-but-i-m-a-lot-more/) [Jason Mantzoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mantzoukas/) > ['Killer Joe' provides a lot of red meat for the theater. Pam MacKinnon is the perfect director to shepherd a group of actors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/killer-joe-provides-a-lot-of-red-meat-for-the-theater-pam-mackinnon/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [The vast majority of debt that Anglo maintains is owed is strenuously disputed. However, I cannot now pay those loans which are due, following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-quinn/the-vast-majority-of-debt-that-anglo-maintains-is-owed-is-strenuously/) [Sean Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-quinn/) > [I like to play poker. I have a nice poker group that's been going on for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-pascal/i-like-to-play-poker-i-have-a-nice-poker-group-that-s-been-going-on/) [Francine Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-pascal/) [Browse all 1,267 Group quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/group/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One person is never as stupid as a group of people. That's why they have lynch mobs, not lynch individuals.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Horowitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group-of-people-that-s-why-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Group" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group-of-people-that-s-why-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/ben-horowitz-1791_group_one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group_148600.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/ben-horowitz-1791_group_one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group_148600.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/ben-horowitz-1791_group_one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group_148600.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One person is never as stupid as a group of people. That's why they have lynch mobs, not lynch individuals.” — Ben Horowitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ben Horowitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One person is never as stupid...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group-of-people-that-s-why-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group-of-people-that-s-why-they/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```