--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think better of our behaviour as…" description: "\"I think better of our behaviour as individuals than I do when we see ourselves as members of a group. It's when people start forming groups that we hav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/john-irving-337_art-form_i-think-better-of-our-behaviour-as-indiv_2335662.png" --- # I think better of our behaviour as individuals than I do… ![“I think better of our behaviour as individuals than I do when we see ourselves as members of a group. It's when people start forming groups that we have to watch our backs.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/john-irving-337_art-form_i-think-better-of-our-behaviour-as-indiv_2335662.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/john-irving-337_art-form_i-think-better-of-our-behaviour-as-indiv_2335662.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/john-irving-337_art-form_i-think-better-of-our-behaviour-as-indiv_2335662.png) > “I think better of our behaviour as individuals than I do when we see ourselves as members of a group. It's when people start forming groups that we have to watch our backs.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Group identity often suppresses individual morality, leading to distrust. **In simple terms:** Groups can erode personal ethics. Key Takeaway Stay true to personal values despite group pressure. Themes ethics group dynamics trust individualism Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace politics - social movements - team projects Key Concepts sociology morality psychology Questions to Reflect On - When have you compromised for a group? - How can you balance loyalty and integrity? A Different Perspective Collective thinking can blind ethical judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-form/) [Behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/) [Forming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forming/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Individuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuals/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [We humans are really good at forming groups to compete, and then dissolving the groups and reforming them along different lines to compete in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/we-humans-are-really-good-at-forming-groups-to-compete-and-then/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [“To act on behalf of a group seems to free people of many of the moral restraints which control their behaviour as individuals within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-hayek/to-act-on-behalf-of-a-group-seems-to-free-people-of-many-of-the-moral/) [Friedrich Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-hayek/) > [“Isolated individuals, not members of such groups, usually are unable to make a significant impact on the rest of the society, much less a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/isolated-individuals-not-members-of-such-groups-usually-are-unable-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Individuals? Or members of society? That's what the right to die is about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/individuals-or-members-of-society-that-s-what-the-right-to-die-is/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Society is the body; individuals are its members, its limbs. Just as the various limbs help and co-operate with one another and thus are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/society-is-the-body-individuals-are-its-members-its-limbs-just-as-the/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [The skin is forming because of proteins, just like if you cook milk or anything else that's got a coagulant protein in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/the-skin-is-forming-because-of-proteins-just-like-if-you-cook-milk-or/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [The band Grizzly Bear, I think they're excellent. There's a beauty and a musicality there that I wish would have been in vogue in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/the-band-grizzly-bear-i-think-they-re-excellent-there-s-a-beauty-and/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [With the dreary season in which we travelled part of the route; with our minds much more actively employed in forming resources for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zebulon-pike/with-the-dreary-season-in-which-we-travelled-part-of-the-route-with/) [Zebulon Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zebulon-pike/) > [They called themselves an army. They were planning on recruiting more armies. They were planning on splitting up and forming smaller cells and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/they-called-themselves-an-army-they-were-planning-on-recruiting-more/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [I learned a long time ago that if I really wanted to bring my ideas into experience, I needed to write down my intentions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-manin-morrissey/i-learned-a-long-time-ago-that-if-i-really-wanted-to-bring-my-ideas/) [Mary Manin Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-manin-morrissey/) > [A German firm called Friendsurance relies on people forming their own groups, which apply peer pressure to keep claims and costs lower. The result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerzema/a-german-firm-called-friendsurance-relies-on-people-forming-their-own/) [John Gerzema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerzema/) > [Our brains have the ability to reorganize themselves by forming new neural connections throughout our lives. This ability is called neuroplasticity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/our-brains-have-the-ability-to-reorganize-themselves-by-forming-new/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [If the agency of the mother in forming the character of her children is, in truth, so considerable, as I think it - if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall/if-the-agency-of-the-mother-in-forming-the-character-of-her-children/) [John Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall/) > [What is reality? An icicle forming in fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/what-is-reality-an-icicle-forming-in-fire/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [ “\[N\]ew technology enables new kinds of group-forming.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/n-ew-technology-enables-new-kinds-of-group-forming/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Art form quotes > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. 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And of course, cinema is a kinetic art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wright/i-m-very-interested-in-dance-and-i-m-very-interested-in-how-people/) [Joe Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wright/) > [The book it reminded me of most is Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life. Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [Stand-up comedy is an art form and it dies unless you expand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-kinison/stand-up-comedy-is-an-art-form-and-it-dies-unless-you-expand-it/) [Sam Kinison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-kinison/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [Dick Clark was a really great influence in my career; he helped me a lot with his whole organization, and they were awesome to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyndi-lauper/dick-clark-was-a-really-great-influence-in-my-career-he-helped-me-a/) [Cyndi Lauper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyndi-lauper/) > [“Whenever an art form loses its fire, when it gets weakened by intellectual inbreeding and first principles fade into stale tradition, a radical fringe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/whenever-an-art-form-loses-its-fire-when-it-gets-weakened-by/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [I think movies are now like going to a museum and seeing the latest exhibit - people just aren't going. It really is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-posey/i-think-movies-are-now-like-going-to-a-museum-and-seeing-the-latest/) [Parker Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-posey/) > [Photography was inspired by painting, cinema by theatre and photography, I don't believe that any new art form was ever created from scratch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/photography-was-inspired-by-painting-cinema-by-theatre-and/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [I've always wanted to be an animator. 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