Committee Quote by Charles Stross
““We use committees for all the ulterior purposes for which they might have been designed: diffusion of executive responsibility, plausible deniability, misdirection, providing the appearance of activity without the substance, and protecting the guilty.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “The Laundry Files” series, 2002
Committees often serve to hide responsibility and create illusion of action while protecting culpable parties
In simple terms: Committees can be used to evade accountability and appear active
Key Takeaway
Scrutinize committee purposes and demand transparency
Themes
politics
bureaucracy
ethics
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- government policy
- corporate governance
- project teams
- nonprofit boards
- academic committees
Key Concepts
diffusion of responsibility
plausible deniability
misdirection
Questions to Reflect On
- When do committees add genuine value?
- How to balance oversight with accountability?
A Different Perspective
Committees can also enable collaboration and diverse input
