---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fools look for scapegoats. The wise…"
description: "\"The fools look for scapegoats. The wise look for solutions and a committed team to solve problems.\" — Mahesh Srinivasan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/mahesh-srinivasan-53585_excuses_the-fools-look-for-scapegoats-the-wise-l_1232946.jpg"
---

#  The fools look for scapegoats. The wise look for solutions…

![“The fools look for scapegoats. The wise look for solutions and a committed team to solve problems.” quote by Mahesh Srinivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/mahesh-srinivasan-53585_excuses_the-fools-look-for-scapegoats-the-wise-l_1232946.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/mahesh-srinivasan-53585_excuses_the-fools-look-for-scapegoats-the-wise-l_1232946.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/mahesh-srinivasan-53585_excuses_the-fools-look-for-scapegoats-the-wise-l_1232946.jpg)

> “The fools look for scapegoats. The wise look for solutions and a committed team to solve problems.”

[Mahesh Srinivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-srinivasan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Scapegoating avoids responsibility; wise people seek solutions and teamwork.

**In simple terms:** Avoid blame, focus on solving problems together.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize collaborative problem‑solving.

Themes

leadership responsibility teamwork problem solving

Mood

reflective determined

Type

professional motivational

When to use this quote

- project management
- crisis response
- organizational change

Key Concepts

systems thinking accountability collective intelligence

Questions to Reflect On

- What obstacles prevent your team from focusing on solutions?
- How can you shift blame culture?

A Different Perspective

Solutions can be hindered by lack of resources or consensus.

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[Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Fools Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools-look-1668228/) [Look Scapegoats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-scapegoats-1158212/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) [Scapegoats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scapegoats/) [Scapegoats Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scapegoats-wise-3819871/) [Solution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solution/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/)

## Related quotes

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> [When things go badly, individuals look for scapegoats. I just do not believe that barbed-wire fences or guns on our border will solve any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/when-things-go-badly-individuals-look-for-scapegoats-i-just-do-not/)

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> [People are upset. They know something is wrong. But they don't know what. The real explanation is too complicated. They won't sit still for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bonner/people-are-upset-they-know-something-is-wrong-but-they-don-t-know/)

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> [May be we are not such fools as we look. But though we be, we are well content, so long as we may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-blackmore/may-be-we-are-not-such-fools-as-we-look-but-though-we-be-we-are-well/)

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> [To the person who thinks the world is full of fools, look in the mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/to-the-person-who-thinks-the-world-is-full-of-fools-look-in-the-mirror/)

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[Karim Seddiki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karim-seddiki/)

> [“Because these fools always look up for power. People above you, they never want to share power with you. Why you look to them?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/because-these-fools-always-look-up-for-power-people-above-you-they/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [Each person must ask what his relationship is to the scapegoat. I am not aware of my own, and I am persuaded that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-girard/each-person-must-ask-what-his-relationship-is-to-the-scapegoat-i-am/)

[Rene Girard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-girard/)

> [“The rite, the becoming-animal of the scapegoat clearly illustrates this: a first expiatory animal is sacrificed, but a second is driven away, sent out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-rite-the-becoming-animal-of-the-scapegoat-clearly-illustrates/)

[Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/)

> [“No one loves the messenger who brings bad news.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/no-one-loves-the-messenger-who-brings-bad-news/)

[Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/)

> [Every club has its scapegoats, but some are easier targets than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-savage/every-club-has-its-scapegoats-but-some-are-easier-targets-than-others/)

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> [There are many scapegoats for our sins, but the most popular is providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-are-many-scapegoats-for-our-sins-but-the-most-popular-is/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [It seems a universal rule in this world that people will always look for victims and scapegoats, does it not? Especially at times of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/it-seems-a-universal-rule-in-this-world-that-people-will-always-look/)

[C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/)

> [They change scapegoats at the networks more regularly than some people change socks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/they-change-scapegoats-at-the-networks-more-regularly-than-some/)

[Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/)

## More by Mahesh Srinivasan

> [Fools have no time to listen to the wise who talk about the root cause of any problem. Because they fear that they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahesh-srinivasan/fools-have-no-time-to-listen-to-the-wise-who-talk-about-the-root/)

[Mahesh Srinivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-srinivasan/)

> [Fools are united, stronger and faster than the wise in achieving their objectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahesh-srinivasan/fools-are-united-stronger-and-faster-than-the-wise-in-achieving-their/)

[Mahesh Srinivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-srinivasan/)

> [There are two kinds of people who fight for their country's independence. Those who know their people's strengths and weakness and those who don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahesh-srinivasan/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-who-fight-for-their-country-s/)

[Mahesh Srinivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-srinivasan/)

> [Wise offer a bitter medicine for a short time for a permanent cure to long standing problem. Fools stand united in convincing the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahesh-srinivasan/wise-offer-a-bitter-medicine-for-a-short-time-for-a-permanent-cure-to/)

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> [There are two types of immigrants. Those who bring problems and those who bring solutions to existing problems. Both are despised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahesh-srinivasan/there-are-two-types-of-immigrants-those-who-bring-problems-and-those/)

[Mahesh Srinivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-srinivasan/)

[Explore all 6 Mahesh Srinivasan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-srinivasan/)

## More Excuses quotes

> [You will find that the more successful the individual, the less inclined he is to make excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-joseph-schwartz/you-will-find-that-the-more-successful-the-individual-the-less/)

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> [I wasn't a bad kid. My dad left when I was young, so I didn't have much discipline, not that I'm making excuses. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-dyer/i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-my-dad-left-when-i-was-young-so-i-didn-t-have-much/)

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> [Most people don't reach their goals because reaching their goals requires them to do things that they don't want to do. You might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-don-t-reach-their-goals-because-reaching-their-goals/)

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> [Excuses cost a dime and that's why the poor could afford a lot of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/excuses-cost-a-dime-and-that-s-why-the-poor-could-afford-a-lot-of-it/)

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> [Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/excuses-are-the-nails-used-to-build-a-house-of-failure/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [I will never attempt to even begin to make excuses for what I did in football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-storey/i-will-never-attempt-to-even-begin-to-make-excuses-for-what-i-did-in/)

[Peter Storey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-storey/)

> [“If they want to be in your life, they'll find a way to be in your life. Otherwise they'll find excuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/if-they-want-to-be-in-your-life-they-ll-find-a-way-to-be-in-your-life/)

[Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/)

> [“Your explanation is good, but your herring doesn't fry, as we say in Ramaldah," he exploded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ashling/your-explanation-is-good-but-your-herring-doesn-t-fry-as-we-say-in/)

[Andrew Ashling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ashling/)

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[Browse all 1,069 Excuses quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/)

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