Leadership Quote by Lee Smolin
““But what is equally important, and sobering, is how often we fool ourselves. And we fool ourselves not only individually but en masse. The tendency of a group of human beings to quickly come to believe something that its individual members will later see as obviously false is truly amazing. Some of the worst tragedies of the last century happened because well-meaning people fell for easy solutions proposed by bad leaders.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public lecture on scientific integrity, 2018
People and groups often convince themselves of false ideas, leading to collective errors and tragedies.
In simple terms: We easily believe false things, especially in groups.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions, especially popular ones.
Themes
cognition
groupthink
error
Mood
cautious
reflective
Type
philosophical
warning
When to use this quote
- political decision making
- scientific research
- organizational policy
- media consumption
Key Concepts
psychology
social dynamics
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you test widely accepted ideas?
- What mechanisms can prevent groupthink?
A Different Perspective
Collective belief can be resistant to correction despite evidence.
