--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a crowd to be smart, the people in it…" description: "\"For a crowd to be smart, the people in it need to be not only diverse in their perspectives but also, relatively speaking, independent of each other. I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_for-a-crowd-to-be-smart-the-people-in-it_785548.jpg" --- # For a crowd to be smart, the people in it need to be not… ![“For a crowd to be smart, the people in it need to be not only diverse in their perspectives but also, relatively speaking, independent of each other. In other words, you need people to be thinking for themselves, rather than following the lead of those around them.” quote by James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_for-a-crowd-to-be-smart-the-people-in-it_785548.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_for-a-crowd-to-be-smart-the-people-in-it_785548.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_for-a-crowd-to-be-smart-the-people-in-it_785548.jpg) > “For a crowd to be smart, the people in it need to be not only diverse in their perspectives but also, relatively speaking, independent of each other. In other words, you need people to be thinking for themselves, rather than following the lead of those around them.” [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) ## 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 works when members bring varied viewpoints and think independently, avoiding herd behavior. **In simple terms:** Diverse, independent thinking fuels smart crowds. Key Takeaway Encourage independent perspectives. Themes diversity independence collective intelligence decision making Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical insightful When to use this quote - team brainstorming - public policy panels - online forums - investment committees Key Concepts wisdom of crowds group dynamics information aggregation Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster independence in a group? - What mechanisms prevent conformity? A Different Perspective If independence is low, groupthink can dominate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Smart people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Two different things: A crowd is a tribe without a leader. A crowd is a tribe without communication. 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