--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Say what you will about the Mafia, but it…" description: "\"“Say what you will about the Mafia, but it works because everyone has a specific role to play. They all do what they do for the greater good of the org..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/jodi-picoult-45_greater-good_say-what-you-will-about-the-mafia-but-it_2188652.jpg" --- # Say what you will about the Mafia, but it works because… ![“Say what you will about the Mafia, but it works because everyone has a specific role to play. They all do what they do for the greater good of the organization. They'd willingly die for each other. The other reason a wolf pack is like the Mafia? Because, for both groups, there is nothing more…” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/jodi-picoult-45_greater-good_say-what-you-will-about-the-mafia-but-it_2188652.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/jodi-picoult-45_greater-good_say-what-you-will-about-the-mafia-but-it_2188652.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/jodi-picoult-45_greater-good_say-what-you-will-about-the-mafia-but-it_2188652.jpg) > ““Say what you will about the Mafia, but it works because everyone has a specific role to play. They all do what they do for the greater good of the organization. They'd willingly die for each other. The other reason a wolf pack is like the Mafia? Because, for both groups, there is nothing more important than family.”” [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote likens the Mafia to a wolf pack, emphasizing that each member has a defined role and a deep loyalty to the group, prioritizing family above all else. **In simple terms:** Mafia and wolf pack both value roles, loyalty, and family above all else. Key Takeaway Recognize the power of clear roles and strong bonds in teams. Themes loyalty family roles group dynamics Mood reflective serious Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - business teams - military units - family businesses - sports squads Key Concepts social hierarchy altruism collective identity Questions to Reflect On - What values should a group uphold to avoid destructive loyalty? - How do you balance individual conscience with group expectations? A Different Perspective Such loyalty can enable harmful actions when the group’s goals are unethical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greater good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater-good/) [Mafia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mafia/) [Wolf pack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wolf-pack/) ## Related quotes > [Yo Gotti had some influence on me for sure. I would say Three 6 Mafia, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tay-keith/yo-gotti-had-some-influence-on-me-for-sure-i-would-say-three-6-mafia/) [Tay Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tay-keith/) > [International affairs is very much run like the mafia. The godfather does not accept disobedience, even from a small storekeeper who doesn't pay his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/international-affairs-is-very-much-run-like-the-mafia-the-godfather/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Who is that woman? How did she find us?” “She’s ex-Mafia.” I inhale, like I just admitted I’m ex-Mafia or something. It doesn’t help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/who-is-that-woman-how-did-she-find-us-she-s-ex-mafia-i-inhale-like-i/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [I feel like artists like Three 6 Mafia and 8 Ball and MJG reached a point in their careers where they were hot and underground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tay-keith/i-feel-like-artists-like-three-6-mafia-and-8-ball-and-mjg-reached-a/) [Tay Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tay-keith/) > [Once you're in, you're in. It's like the Mafia. Once a Monkee, always a Monkee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davy-jones/once-you-re-in-you-re-in-it-s-like-the-mafia-once-a-monkee-always-a/) [Davy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davy-jones/) > [It's like the mafia. Once you're in - your in. There's no getting out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-slater/it-s-like-the-mafia-once-you-re-in-your-in-there-s-no-getting-out/) [Kelly Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-slater/) > [The IRS! They're like the Mafia, they can take anything they want!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/the-irs-they-re-like-the-mafia-they-can-take-anything-they-want/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [The racing bug is never going to go away. It's like the Mafia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davy-jones/the-racing-bug-is-never-going-to-go-away-it-s-like-the-mafia/) [Davy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davy-jones/) > [When the Communist Party comes to power, it acts a lot like the mafia: If you are a loyal member in good standing, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/when-the-communist-party-comes-to-power-it-acts-a-lot-like-the-mafia/) [Josef Skvorecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/) > [Between 'The Godfather,' 'The Sopranos,' 'Goodfellas,' and the countless other mob stories that have been both critically and commercially acclaimed over the years, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schreier/between-the-godfather-the-sopranos-goodfellas-and-the-countless-other/) [Jason Schreier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schreier/) > [I always tell everyone wrestling is like the mafia, once you get in, you can't get out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kim/i-always-tell-everyone-wrestling-is-like-the-mafia-once-you-get-in/) [Gail Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kim/) > [There are clues in the script... he will say "I think drugs are immoral"'... but the guy who says that kills, tortures, pimps and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suchet/there-are-clues-in-the-script-he-will-say-i-think-drugs-are-immoral/) [David Suchet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suchet/) > [The way it works in our family is, it's the family business. Much like in the Mafia. Every child is given the opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-bridges/the-way-it-works-in-our-family-is-it-s-the-family-business-much-like/) [Jordan Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-bridges/) > [Yeah, I like Three Six Mafia and stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/yeah-i-like-three-six-mafia-and-stuff-like-that/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [Being in Harry Potter is like being in the Mafia. Once you are in, you are never really out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/being-in-harry-potter-is-like-being-in-the-mafia-once-you-are-in-you/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) ## More by Jodi Picoult > [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Let me guess," Eric says, "You never meant for it to happen." "Hell, yes, I did. I've wanted her since you two started dating."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/let-me-guess-eric-says-you-never-meant-for-it-to-happen-hell-yes-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“It’s the difference between dancing along the eggshell crust of acquaintance and diving into the messy center of a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-the-difference-between-dancing-along-the-eggshell-crust-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Because hate's just the flip side of love. Like heads and tails on a dime. If you don't know what it feels like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/because-hate-s-just-the-flip-side-of-love-like-heads-and-tails-on-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Music is the language of memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/music-is-the-language-of-memory/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But there is a different between mending someone who's broken and finding someone who makes you complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-there-is-a-different-between-mending-someone-who-s-broken-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“sometimes words are not big enough to contain all the feelings you are trying to pour into them. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-words-are-not-big-enough-to-contain-all-the-feelings-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The age wasn't as important as the milestones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-age-wasn-t-as-important-as-the-milestones/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More Greater good quotes > [“If I do not do this thing, then it may go on and on. Nothing of the greater good comes without struggle and sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kent/if-i-do-not-do-this-thing-then-it-may-go-on-and-on-nothing-of-the/) [Kathleen Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kent/) > [All it takes for generosity to flow is awareness. By actively pursuing awareness and knowledge, we can make choices that cause less harm and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-weil/all-it-takes-for-generosity-to-flow-is-awareness-by-actively-pursuing/) [Zoe Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-weil/) > [“Because sometimes bad things—downright horrible things in fact—must be done. For the greater good of the Republic. The “greater good” is, after all, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-anspach/because-sometimes-bad-things-downright-horrible-things-in-fact-must/) [Jason Anspach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-anspach/) > [“What good was a personal victory to someone who'd spent her life losing herself for the greater good of everyone else?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/what-good-was-a-personal-victory-to-someone-who-d-spent-her-life/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [ “\[...\] the kind of healer who knows that sometimes one must inflict terrible agony - rebreak a bone, carve off a limb, kill the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/the-kind-of-healer-who-knows-that-sometimes-one-must-inflict-terrible/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [I don't go with ego: If I wanna work with a guy, I'm hitting him up. Because it's for the greater good of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-the-butcher/i-don-t-go-with-ego-if-i-wanna-work-with-a-guy-i-m-hitting-him-up/) [Benny the Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-the-butcher/) > [A good thing which prevents us from enjoying a greater good is in truth an evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/a-good-thing-which-prevents-us-from-enjoying-a-greater-good-is-in/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [Problems tend to be put into their proper perspective the moment we get off SELF, and on PURPOSE. By choosing your purpose in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/problems-tend-to-be-put-into-their-proper-perspective-the-moment-we/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [We need to and must protect privacy. But I think that people will be willing and even eager to share medical information about themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-soon-shiong/we-need-to-and-must-protect-privacy-but-i-think-that-people-will-be/) [Patrick Soon-Shiong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-soon-shiong/) > [You can make a good living while serving a greater good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-misner/you-can-make-a-good-living-while-serving-a-greater-good/) [Ivan Misner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-misner/) > [“There's an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that I've been thinking about a lot while writing this essay. In it, Buffy sacrifices her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/there-s-an-episode-of-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-that-i-ve-been/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“You have behaved in an exemplary manner until now. Even when you could have gained by doing something wrong, you refrained from doing so.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/you-have-behaved-in-an-exemplary-manner-until-now-even-when-you-could/) [Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/) > [“For know that this is the command of God; and I believe that no greater good has ever happened in the state than my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-know-that-this-is-the-command-of-god-and-i-believe-that-no/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Liberals genuinely believe that this country is about helping one another out and doing it for the greater good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-kasparian/liberals-genuinely-believe-that-this-country-is-about-helping-one/) [Ana Kasparian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-kasparian/) > [“One doesn't commit evil actions in the belief that one is acting wrongly. What allows one to commit such acts is the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/una-mccormack/one-doesn-t-commit-evil-actions-in-the-belief-that-one-is-acting/) [Una McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/una-mccormack/) [Browse all 314 Greater good quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater-good/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Say what you will about the Mafia, but it works because everyone has a specific role to play. They all do what they do for the greater good of the organization. They'd willingly die for each other. The other reason a wolf pack is like the Mafia? 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