--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The common good is the notion of shared…" description: "\"The common good is the notion of shared collective responsibility and reciprocity. It's that that we've lost.\" — Joan Wallach Scott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/joan-wallach-scott-26193_collective-responsib_the-common-good-is-the-notion-of-shared_2151352.png" --- # The common good is the notion of shared collective… ![“The common good is the notion of shared collective responsibility and reciprocity. It's that that we've lost.” quote by Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/joan-wallach-scott-26193_collective-responsib_the-common-good-is-the-notion-of-shared_2151352.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/joan-wallach-scott-26193_collective-responsib_the-common-good-is-the-notion-of-shared_2151352.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/joan-wallach-scott-26193_collective-responsib_the-common-good-is-the-notion-of-shared_2151352.png) > “The common good is the notion of shared collective responsibility and reciprocity. It's that that we've lost.” [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It highlights that societies have lost the sense of mutual responsibility and exchange that sustains communal wellbeing. **In simple terms:** We no longer share responsibility. Key Takeaway Rebuild shared responsibility. Themes community responsibility reciprocity social cohesion Mood reflective serious Type philosophical social When to use this quote - neighbourhood projects - team workplaces - public policy - volunteer initiatives Key Concepts collective ethics social contract civic duty Questions to Reflect On - How can we encourage reciprocity in modern institutions? - What structures support the common good? A Different Perspective People may prioritize individual gain over communal care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Collective responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collective-responsibility/) [Common good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-good/) [Reciprocity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reciprocity/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [We've increasingly lost that sense of community, of the notion that there is something we contribute to and benefit from that is called the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/we-ve-increasingly-lost-that-sense-of-community-of-the-notion-that-2/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [What I mean by the common good is that we understand we're all part of something bigger than ourselves, that we live in societies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/what-i-mean-by-the-common-good-is-that-we-understand-we-re-all-part/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [We've increasingly lost that sense of community, of the notion that there is something we contribute to and benefit from that is called the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/we-ve-increasingly-lost-that-sense-of-community-of-the-notion-that/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [“Throughout the 1980's, we did hear too much about individual gain and the ethos of selfishness and greed. We did not hear enough a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/throughout-the-1980-s-we-did-hear-too-much-about-individual-gain-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even the best weapon is an unhappy tool, hateful to living things. So the follower of the Way stays away from it. Weapons are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/even-the-best-weapon-is-an-unhappy-tool-hateful-to-living-things-so/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [When it all boils down, its about embracing each others stories and maybe even finding that synergy to collaborate for the common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhani-jones/when-it-all-boils-down-its-about-embracing-each-others-stories-and/) [Dhani Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhani-jones/) > [Leadership: The skill of influencing people to work enthusiastically toward goals identified as being for the common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hunter/leadership-the-skill-of-influencing-people-to-work-enthusiastically/) [James Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hunter/) > [I am a strong believer in the free market. I am a strong believer in capitalism. But, I am also a strong believer that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-am-a-strong-believer-in-the-free-market-i-am-a-strong-believer-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [People who reject transcendent authority can no longer persuade one another through rational arguments; everything is reduced to personal opinion. Debates about ideas thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/people-who-reject-transcendent-authority-can-no-longer-persuade-one/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [The original Greek word "idiotes" referred to people who might have had a high IQ, but were so self-involved that they focused exclusively on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-original-greek-word-idiotes-referred-to-people-who-might-have-had/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Once we are bound together to our brothers by a common good that is outside us, then we can breathe. Experience teaches us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/once-we-are-bound-together-to-our-brothers-by-a-common-good-that-is/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Set goals - high goals for you and your organization. When your organization has a goal to shoot for, you create teamwork, people working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/set-goals-high-goals-for-you-and-your-organization-when-your/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Advocacy groups, politicians, and bureaucrats use the government to advance their private good instead of the common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-miller/advocacy-groups-politicians-and-bureaucrats-use-the-government-to/) [Joel Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-miller/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) ## More by Joan Wallach Scott > [Freedom of speech is about expressing your opinion, however bad or good, however right or wrong, and being able to defend it and argue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/freedom-of-speech-is-about-expressing-your-opinion-however-bad-or/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [The growing gap between rich and poor, the seeming lack of concern for the health and well-being of ordinary people, the obscene salaries made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/the-growing-gap-between-rich-and-poor-the-seeming-lack-of-concern-for/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [Free speech is what we all have and is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Academic freedom refers to what happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/free-speech-is-what-we-all-have-and-is-guaranteed-by-the-first/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [There are students whose religious upbringing is going to make them feel uncomfortable in a class where certain kinds of secular ideas are presented.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/there-are-students-whose-religious-upbringing-is-going-to-make-them/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [I think what is being pointed out by African-Americans is that from slavery forward they have been living in a supposed democracy which treats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/i-think-what-is-being-pointed-out-by-african-americans-is-that-from/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [We've increasingly lost that sense of community, of the notion that there is something we contribute to and benefit from that is called the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/we-ve-increasingly-lost-that-sense-of-community-of-the-notion-that/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [I think the anger that is being directed to universities and so-called elites at universities is actually an anger that's displaced from politicians (who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/i-think-the-anger-that-is-being-directed-to-universities-and-so/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [I think there is a disrespect for the mind that Trump, for example, exemplifies. His is a kind of strategic thinking that's more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/i-think-there-is-a-disrespect-for-the-mind-that-trump-for-example/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [The thing about education - and why I'm so passionate about the position and status of the university - is that it's supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/the-thing-about-education-and-why-i-m-so-passionate-about-the/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [Richard Hofstadter, in his famous book which was written in the time of the McCarthy period in the 1950 and 1960s, Anti-intellectualism in American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/richard-hofstadter-in-his-famous-book-which-was-written-in-the-time/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [What I mean by the common good is that we understand we're all part of something bigger than ourselves, that we live in societies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/what-i-mean-by-the-common-good-is-that-we-understand-we-re-all-part/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [All of my work in some way or another speaks to political issues according to the upbringing that I had, which was deeply rooted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/all-of-my-work-in-some-way-or-another-speaks-to-political-issues/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [We've increasingly lost that sense of community, of the notion that there is something we contribute to and benefit from that is called the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/we-ve-increasingly-lost-that-sense-of-community-of-the-notion-that-2/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [The Trump election brought it the fore and made it possible for a number of different groups whose aim is to stop the teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/the-trump-election-brought-it-the-fore-and-made-it-possible-for-a/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [I don't think colleges are safe spaces. It's one thing to have a fraternity house or a community center where students can go and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/i-don-t-think-colleges-are-safe-spaces-it-s-one-thing-to-have-a/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) [Explore all 22 Joan Wallach Scott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) ## More Collective responsibility quotes > [“He has read whole volumes on the philosophy of nonviolence. How peace had to be understood in all its moral dimensions. The proper coexistence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/he-has-read-whole-volumes-on-the-philosophy-of-nonviolence-how-peace/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [“In politics, the pen is at its heaviest because it is weighed down by the collective responsibility it holds towards its people and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aysha-taryam/in-politics-the-pen-is-at-its-heaviest-because-it-is-weighed-down-by/) [Aysha Taryam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aysha-taryam/) > [Today's message to Baghdad is very clear: the UN Security Council resolution expresses the unity and determination of the entire international community to assume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-solana/today-s-message-to-baghdad-is-very-clear-the-un-security-council/) [Javier Solana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-solana/) > [Bodily pain affects man as a whole down to the deepest layers of his moral being. It forces him to face again the fundamental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xii/bodily-pain-affects-man-as-a-whole-down-to-the-deepest-layers-of-his/) [Pope Pius XII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xii/) > [“Still, among the critics of the concept of collective guilt, Bultmann was one of the few who spoke of a collective responsibility of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hammann-konrad/still-among-the-critics-of-the-concept-of-collective-guilt-bultmann/) [Hammann Konrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hammann-konrad/) > [A citizen of the Roman Empire, for example, would have placed less value on individual liberty in the modern Western sense than on collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-baxter/a-citizen-of-the-roman-empire-for-example-would-have-placed-less/) [Stephen Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-baxter/) > [Our fortunes rise together, and they fall together. 'All men are brothers,' said the Analects. We have a collective responsibility-to bring about a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lagarde/our-fortunes-rise-together-and-they-fall-together-all-men-are/) [Christine Lagarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lagarde/) > [“Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants," wrote Edmund Burke in his Reflections on the Revolution in France. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-stone/government-is-a-contrivance-of-human-wisdom-to-provide-for-human/) Deborah Stone > [Inevitably, the role of being a backbench Member of Parliament is completely different from being a minister bound by collective responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-morgan/inevitably-the-role-of-being-a-backbench-member-of-parliament-is/) [Nicky Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-morgan/) > [If you are making policies through speeches that are contradicting some of the policy development your colleagues are embarked on, you are destroying collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/if-you-are-making-policies-through-speeches-that-are-contradicting/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [As elected leaders, it is our collective responsibility to set standards of respect and elevate understanding between the communities we represent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/as-elected-leaders-it-is-our-collective-responsibility-to-set/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [We have a collective responsibility to do everything we can to make sure that everyone feels that the workplace is a safe and equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/channing-dungey/we-have-a-collective-responsibility-to-do-everything-we-can-to-make/) [Channing Dungey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/channing-dungey/) > [Our interests are indeed common European interests, and the only way to serve them is by common means. That is why all Europeans, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federica-mogherini/our-interests-are-indeed-common-european-interests-and-the-only-way/) [Federica Mogherini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federica-mogherini/) > [I once gave a workshop and I asked the women poets there, If you went back to that little town you've come from -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eavan-boland/i-once-gave-a-workshop-and-i-asked-the-women-poets-there-if-you-went/) [Eavan Boland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eavan-boland/) > [Cabinet government rests on the principle of collective responsibility: Ministers debate and argue in private but then hammer out a common policy which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/cabinet-government-rests-on-the-principle-of-collective/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) [Browse all 43 Collective responsibility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collective-responsibility/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The common good is the notion of shared collective responsibility and reciprocity. 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