--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can be more clever than one, but not…" description: "\"We can be more clever than one, but not more clever than all.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_clever_we-can-be-more-clever-than-one-but-not-m_2914408.png" --- # We can be more clever than one, but not more clever than… ![“We can be more clever than one, but not more clever than all.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_clever_we-can-be-more-clever-than-one-but-not-m_2914408.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_clever_we-can-be-more-clever-than-one-but-not-m_2914408.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1aa/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_clever_we-can-be-more-clever-than-one-but-not-m_2914408.png) > “We can be more clever than one, but not more clever than all.” [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collective intelligence surpasses individual cleverness; teamwork outshines solo brilliance. **In simple terms:** Groups can be smarter than individuals. Key Takeaway Foster collaboration over competition. Themes teamwork collective intelligence humility competition Mood cooperative strategic Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - business projects - scientific research - creative endeavors - community planning Key Concepts social synergy group problem solving collective wisdom Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure all voices are heard? - When is individual insight more valuable? A Different Perspective Groupthink can suppress dissenting ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) ## Related quotes > [The height of cleverness is in one's ability to be very clever without seeming clever at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-height-of-cleverness-is-in-one-s-ability-to-be-very-clever/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Clever is as clever does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-diterlizzi/clever-is-as-clever-does/) [Tony DiTerlizzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-diterlizzi/) > [When I was One, I had just begun. When I was Two, I was nearly new. When I was Three I was hardly me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-one-i-had-just-begun-when-i-was-two-i-was-nearly-new-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's no use trying to be clever-we are all clever here; just try to be kind-a little kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-j-foakes-jackson/it-s-no-use-trying-to-be-clever-we-are-all-clever-here-just-try-to-be/) F. J. Foakes-Jackson > [Ancelotti is very clever, very clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/ancelotti-is-very-clever-very-clever/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [“We humans have been brilliantly clever... almost as clever as we think we are, though not, perhaps, as wise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-marr/we-humans-have-been-brilliantly-clever-almost-as-clever-as-we-think/) [Andrew Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-marr/) > [“Shh!" said Ford. "It's conical. So what you do is, you see, you fill it with fine white sand, alright? Or sugar. Fine white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/shh-said-ford-it-s-conical-so-what-you-do-is-you-see-you-fill-it-with/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [We scientists are clever — too clever — are you not satisfied? Is four square miles in one bomb not enough? Men are still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/we-scientists-are-clever-too-clever-are-you-not-satisfied-is-four/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“And I don't need to look clever. I am clever. The fact that I look clever is merely a bonus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/and-i-don-t-need-to-look-clever-i-am-clever-the-fact-that-i-look/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [“Be Clever, Think Clever and Do Clever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-james/be-clever-think-clever-and-do-clever/) Robin James > [But now I am six. And I'm clever as clever. And now I think I'll stay six now forever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-milne/but-now-i-am-six-and-i-m-clever-as-clever-and-now-i-think-i-ll-stay/) [A. A. Milne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-milne/) > [“He was too clever. If you’re that clever you can argue yourself into anything. You just leave common sense behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/he-was-too-clever-if-you-re-that-clever-you-can-argue-yourself-into/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [The desire to be thought clever often prevents a man from becoming so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-desire-to-be-thought-clever-often-prevents-a-man-from-becoming-so/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is a great act of cleverness to be able to conceal one's being clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-a-great-act-of-cleverness-to-be-able-to-conceal-one-s-being/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Too great cleverness is but deceptive delicacy, true delicacy is the most substantial cleverness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/too-great-cleverness-is-but-deceptive-delicacy-true-delicacy-is-the/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Clever quotes > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“There was once an old but clever donkey, who never liked the sting of any bee, Nor for all the Slung mud, did he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyavrat-thareja/there-was-once-an-old-but-clever-donkey-who-never-liked-the-sting-of/) [Priyavrat Thareja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyavrat-thareja/) > [ There was another reason \[she\] took her books whenever they went away. They were her home when she was somewhere strange. They were familiar… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/there-was-another-reason-she-took-her-books-whenever-they-went-away/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [“The cactus thrives in the desert while the fern thrives in the wetland. The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [If she is stupid enough to let you go, you're clever enough not to look back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-she-is-stupid-enough-to-let-you-go-you-re-clever-enough-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Need to go to the pharmacy, because I'm so sick!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-matthews/need-to-go-to-the-pharmacy-because-i-m-so-sick/) Tasha Matthews > [My valour is certainly going! - it is sneaking off! - I feel it oozing out as it were at the palms of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/my-valour-is-certainly-going-it-is-sneaking-off-i-feel-it-oozing-out/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > ['I Love You' fails to sum up all the memories, smiles, laughs, trials, and tribulations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/i-love-you-fails-to-sum-up-all-the-memories-smiles-laughs-trials-and/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [People may say that what I do is very clever, but it's not really at all. It's not Swift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/people-may-say-that-what-i-do-is-very-clever-but-it-s-not-really-at/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Regrets are like mistresses," he informed her. "I ..." Her hand dropped from the handle. "What?" "Good men don't have them." 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