Able Quote by Jaron Lanier
“The wisdom of crowds works when the crowd is choosing the price of an ox, when there's a single numeric average. But if it's a design or something that matters, the decision is made by committee, and that's crap. You want people and groups who are able to think thoughts before they share”
About This Quote
Source Talk: TED Talk "The Wisdom of Crowds", 2010
Crowds are accurate for simple quantitative judgments, but poor for complex, creative decisions; committees often hinder innovation.
In simple terms: Crowds work for numbers, not design.
Key Takeaway
Seek expert input for creative tasks.
Themes
decision making
crowd wisdom
creativity
committees
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
advisory
analytical
When to use this quote
- product development
- policy design
- team brainstorming
- strategic planning
Key Concepts
collective intelligence
design thinking
group dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance expertise and diverse input?
- When is a crowd the best judge?
A Different Perspective
Committees can suppress dissenting ideas and slow progress.
