--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: a group of people who individually can do…" description: "\"“a group of people who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done”\" — Fred Allen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/fred-allen-4199_creative_a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-d_2454836.png" --- # a group of people who individually can do nothing but as a… ![“a group of people who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done” quote by Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/fred-allen-4199_creative_a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-d_2454836.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/fred-allen-4199_creative_a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-d_2454836.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/fred-allen-4199_creative_a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-d_2454836.png) > ““a group of people who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done”” [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A group can achieve what individuals cannot, but may also decide nothing is possible, limiting action. **In simple terms:** Groups can do more together, yet sometimes decide nothing can be done. Key Takeaway Recognize collective power and avoid fatalistic groupthink. Themes collaboration power decision-making group dynamics limitations Mood cautious reflective Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - team projects - community activism - political movements - business strategy Key Concepts social psychology collective efficacy risk aversion Questions to Reflect On - How does group mindset affect individual motivation? - When should you challenge a group's fatalistic view? A Different Perspective Group consensus can suppress initiative if pessimism dominates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ## Related quotes > [A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing, but who, as a group, can meet and decide that nothing can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/a-committee-is-a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-do-nothing-but-2/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Committee - a group of men who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/committee-a-group-of-men-who-individually-can-do-nothing-but-as-a/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing but together can decide that nothing can be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/a-committee-is-a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-do-nothing-but/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [The difference between what all the people can do individually and the global consumption of nonrenewable resources is huge. The tension is... what will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/the-difference-between-what-all-the-people-can-do-individually-and/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [Afford each person the same respect, support, and fair treatment you would expect if your roles were reversed. Deal with people individually, not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walsh/afford-each-person-the-same-respect-support-and-fair-treatment-you/) [Bill Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walsh/) > [When many people individually get what they want, the result may be something they collectively dislike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/when-many-people-individually-get-what-they-want-the-result-may-be/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [There are many things that people do happily that I can't imagine why they would do it... But I have to say that even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/there-are-many-things-that-people-do-happily-that-i-can-t-imagine-why/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [“You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everyone else, and we are all part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-are-not-a-beautiful-and-unique-snowflake-you-are-the-same/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [It's really important to me that the songs not only stand out individually but work as a full body of work, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/it-s-really-important-to-me-that-the-songs-not-only-stand-out/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I would never be into splitting up. I don't think we should ever break up, I really don't. I think we should allow each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-coyle/i-would-never-be-into-splitting-up-i-don-t-think-we-should-ever-break/) [Nadine Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-coyle/) > [I hate people generally, but I like people individually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-day/i-hate-people-generally-but-i-like-people-individually/) [Amanda Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-day/) > [Football's a team sport and as long as everyone is doing well, I think it makes things easier individually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bukayo-saka/football-s-a-team-sport-and-as-long-as-everyone-is-doing-well-i-think/) [Bukayo Saka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bukayo-saka/) > [“It was scary as hell when you considered everything together, but if you approached each thing individually, it was simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-nichols/it-was-scary-as-hell-when-you-considered-everything-together-but-if/) [Lee Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-nichols/) > [“Individually we are just a drop. Together we are an ocean”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryunosuke-satoro/individually-we-are-just-a-drop-together-we-are-an-ocean/) [Ryunosuke Satoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryunosuke-satoro/) > [Everyone knows that when you go through a divorce, it's a really difficult time for both parties and you've all - you believe, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mills/everyone-knows-that-when-you-go-through-a-divorce-it-s-a-really/) [Heather Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mills/) ## More by Fred Allen > [“I can't understand why a person will take a year or two to write a novel when he can easily buy one for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/i-can-t-understand-why-a-person-will-take-a-year-or-two-to-write-a/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [“(Faces are all important. Without faces it would be impossible to identify our friends. If we had to recognize people by their bodies, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/faces-are-all-important-without-faces-it-would-be-impossible-to/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [If I could get my membership fee back, I'd resign from the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/if-i-could-get-my-membership-fee-back-i-d-resign-from-the-human-race/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Ed Sullivan will be around as long as someone else has talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/ed-sullivan-will-be-around-as-long-as-someone-else-has-talent/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/i-like-long-walks-especially-when-they-are-taken-by-people-who-annoy/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [My uncle is a Southern planter. He's an undertaker in Alabama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/my-uncle-is-a-southern-planter-he-s-an-undertaker-in-alabama/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Hollywood is a great place if you're an orange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/hollywood-is-a-great-place-if-you-re-an-orange/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Everywhere outside New York City is Bridgeport, Connecticut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/everywhere-outside-new-york-city-is-bridgeport-connecticut/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [I'm a little hoarse tonight. I've been living in Chicago for the past two months, and you know how it is, yelling for help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/i-m-a-little-hoarse-tonight-i-ve-been-living-in-chicago-for-the-past/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [He writes so well he makes me feel like putting my quill back in my goose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/he-writes-so-well-he-makes-me-feel-like-putting-my-quill-back-in-my/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Her hat is a creation that will never go out of style; it will just look ridiculous year after year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/her-hat-is-a-creation-that-will-never-go-out-of-style-it-will-just/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [When a radio comedian's program is finally finished it slinks down Memory Lane into the limbo of yesteryear's happy hours. All that the comedian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/when-a-radio-comedian-s-program-is-finally-finished-it-slinks-down/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [He's so small, he's a waste of skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/he-s-so-small-he-s-a-waste-of-skin/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Life, in my estimation, is a biological misadventure that we terminate on the shoulders of six strange men whose only objective is to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/life-in-my-estimation-is-a-biological-misadventure-that-we-terminate/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [My agent gets 10 percent of everything I get, except the blinding headaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/my-agent-gets-10-percent-of-everything-i-get-except-the-blinding/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) [Explore all 114 Fred Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“a group of people who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fred Allen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-do-nothing-but-as-a-group/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-do-nothing-but-as-a-group/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/fred-allen-4199_creative_a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-d_2454836.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/fred-allen-4199_creative_a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-d_2454836.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/fred-allen-4199_creative_a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-d_2454836.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“a group of people who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done” — Fred Allen", "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": "Fred Allen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“a group of people who individually...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-do-nothing-but-as-a-group/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/a-group-of-people-who-individually-can-do-nothing-but-as-a-group/#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 } } ] } ```