Cabinets Quote by Joe Eszterhas
“And the inner dynamics of Hollywood are like politics. Say you give a script to a group of executives - they all sit around, afraid to voice an opinion, saying nothing, waiting to know what the consensus is. Just like focus groups, opinion polls or a cabinet.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Hollywood Writers Guild Panel, 2005
Creative decisions in film are often suppressed by groupthink, mirroring political consensus‑building where dissent is avoided.
In simple terms: Hollywood groups avoid speaking up, similar to politics.
Key Takeaway
Encourage open dialogue to avoid stagnation.
Themes
creativity
politics
groupthink
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
industry
observational
When to use this quote
- script meetings
- boardroom discussions
- team brainstorming
Key Concepts
consensus pressure
executive decision‑making
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms can protect dissenting voices?
- How does fear of conflict affect creativity?
A Different Perspective
Silencing dissent can lead to mediocre outcomes.
![“I have talked to more people who are in politics who have said to me, "[House of Cards] is closer than you can imagine. It's the most accurate description of how politics actually works that we've ever seen." I mean, West Wing - beautiful, wonderful idea of how democracy should work. But I've had…” quote by Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e65/kevin-spacey-931_accurate_i-have-talked-to-more-people-who-are-in_193515.jpg)
![“Every person of any rank in the left, from voter on up to cabinet member to elected official in the Democrat Party, has contempt. We [Republicans] are the number one enemy. And they will put aside whatever differences they have.” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/08a/rush-limbaugh-28_cabinets_every-person-of-any-rank-in-the-left-fro_29974.jpg){kind=icon}
![“[Footnote:] Pliny the Elder described a Whale called "Balaena or Whirlpool, which is so long and broad as to take up more in length and breadth than two acres of ground." This brings up again the old question: Are the classics doomed? Our ancestors believed that four years of this sort of…” quote by Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1c1/will-cuppy-7569_acres_footnote-pliny-the-elder-described-a-wha_84284.jpg)
![“I worry about the lack of experience that Rex Tillerson has had on the diplomatic front and, frankly, I think that's true for many of the appointments to [Donald] Trump's cabinet.” quote by Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c4e/claire-mccaskill-5688_appointments_i-worry-about-the-lack-of-experience-tha_143996.jpg)
