--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Suppose hypothetically that one out of…" description: "\"Suppose hypothetically that one out of every 200 people or so is a jerk. In today's world these jerks will discover that if they enter government or bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/michael-strong-53237_anonymity_suppose-hypothetically-that-one-out-of-e_2635981.jpg" --- # Suppose hypothetically that one out of every 200 people or… ![“Suppose hypothetically that one out of every 200 people or so is a jerk. In today's world these jerks will discover that if they enter government or business they can become super rich and powerful jerks. Do we conclude, therefore, that markets (or government) have caused greed? No, the fact is…” quote by Michael Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/michael-strong-53237_anonymity_suppose-hypothetically-that-one-out-of-e_2635981.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/michael-strong-53237_anonymity_suppose-hypothetically-that-one-out-of-e_2635981.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/michael-strong-53237_anonymity_suppose-hypothetically-that-one-out-of-e_2635981.jpg) > “Suppose hypothetically that one out of every 200 people or so is a jerk. In today's world these jerks will discover that if they enter government or business they can become super rich and powerful jerks. Do we conclude, therefore, that markets (or government) have caused greed? No, the fact is that once we no longer live in tiny tribes of 200, anonymity allows some people, who would have been assholes in a small tribe but who would have been sanctioned there, to go off and become jerks on a much, much larger scale.” [Michael Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-strong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anonymity in large societies lets individuals act without tribal checks, enabling harmful behavior to flourish in markets and governments. **In simple terms:** Anonymity lets bad behavior spread. Key Takeaway Recognize and mitigate anonymity risks. Themes anonymity social behavior ethics power dynamics Mood critical reflective Type philosophical social When to use this quote - online platforms - corporate governance - political institutions - large organizations Key Concepts Tribal enforcement institutional accountability moral hazard Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can reduce anonymous harm? - How balance privacy with accountability? A Different Perspective Anonymity can also protect vulnerable groups, complicating solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anonymity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymity/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tribes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribes/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Mr. Macri's government caused damage similar to what Argentina suffered in 2001: a debt default, no foreign-currency reserves, a steep devaluation and increased poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-fernandez/mr-macri-s-government-caused-damage-similar-to-what-argentina/) [Alberto Fernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-fernandez/) > [The truth is every problem can't be solved by government. Many are caused by the moral breakdown in our society. And the answers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-truth-is-every-problem-can-t-be-solved-by-government-many-are/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [in today's world no country can be absolutely independent of another. It is a world of interdependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/in-today-s-world-no-country-can-be-absolutely-independent-of-another/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [Rigorously investigated and fearlessly reported, A Crime So Monstrous is a passionate and thorough examination of the appalling reality of human bondage in today's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/rigorously-investigated-and-fearlessly-reported-a-crime-so-monstrous/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [In today's world, both men and woman need motherhood, the nurturing motherly feeling, the feminine energy. By receiving this energy, it will make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/in-today-s-world-both-men-and-woman-need-motherhood-the-nurturing/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [The flight of most members of a profession to the high empyrean, where they can work peacefully on purely scientific problems, isolated from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-holton/the-flight-of-most-members-of-a-profession-to-the-high-empyrean-where/) [Gerald Holton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-holton/) > [I think that in today's world, by nature, we are all self-centered. And that often leads to selfishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/i-think-that-in-today-s-world-by-nature-we-are-all-self-centered-and/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [All of us living in today's world are facing an enormous crisis - arguably the greatest that humanity has ever faced - in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/all-of-us-living-in-today-s-world-are-facing-an-enormous-crisis/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [In today's world, only one person in every 200 is Canadian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-catley-carlson/in-today-s-world-only-one-person-in-every-200-is-canadian/) Margaret Catley-Carlson > [There are nearly 200 countries and a population of over 6 billion in today's world. International affairs should be addressed by all countries through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-peng/there-are-nearly-200-countries-and-a-population-of-over-6-billion-in/) [Li Peng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-peng/) > [The person who insists on using yesterday's methods in today's world won't be in business tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/the-person-who-insists-on-using-yesterday-s-methods-in-today-s-world/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [But then he told himself: What does it really mean to be useful? Today's world, just as it is, contains the sum of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/but-then-he-told-himself-what-does-it-really-mean-to-be-useful-today/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [A person who is able to be a living centre of peace in today's world and who is able to radiate that peace powerfully,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-assagioli/a-person-who-is-able-to-be-a-living-centre-of-peace-in-today-s-world/) [Roberto Assagioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-assagioli/) > [With Epcot Center, the Disney corporation has accomplished something I didn't think possible in today's world. They have created a land of make-believe that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-accomplished-something-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Strong states and blocs of strong states are the only source of power and legitimacy capable of driving an international agenda in today's world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/strong-states-and-blocs-of-strong-states-are-the-only-source-of-power/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) ## More by Michael Strong > [Silicon Valley, "the largest legal creation of wealth in history," was built largely by unprofessional amateurs using math, sand, and the institutions of freedom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-strong/silicon-valley-the-largest-legal-creation-of-wealth-in-history-was/) [Michael Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-strong/) > [Technology, including Zaadz, will allow us to evade the jerks far more than we could before. The technology-based social responsibility movement, broadly construed, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-strong/technology-including-zaadz-will-allow-us-to-evade-the-jerks-far-more/) [Michael Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-strong/) > [Dubai was brilliant, they looked around the world. They saw Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, Chicago, Sydney, London all ran British common law. British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-strong/dubai-was-brilliant-they-looked-around-the-world-they-saw-hong-kong/) [Michael Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-strong/) > [An unreflective passion for social justice may be one of the biggest obstacles to creating peace and prosperity in the 21st century. While there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-strong/an-unreflective-passion-for-social-justice-may-be-one-of-the-biggest/) [Michael Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-strong/) > [Creativity is not merely about cute pictures drawn by kindergartners. It is about the ability to create new enterprises, organizations, and institutions that fundamentally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-strong/creativity-is-not-merely-about-cute-pictures-drawn-by-kindergartners/) [Michael Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-strong/) [Explore all 6 Michael Strong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-strong/) ## More Anonymity quotes > [For me, getting comfortable with being famous was hard - that whole side of it, the loss of anonymity, the loss of privacy. Giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/for-me-getting-comfortable-with-being-famous-was-hard-that-whole-side/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [I value my anonymity. I'm happy to come in on the tube or the train and watch other people reading 'Fifty Shades.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james-2/i-value-my-anonymity-i-m-happy-to-come-in-on-the-tube-or-the-train/) [E. L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james-2/) > [For many people in the west, Afghanistan is synonymous with the Soviet war and the Taliban. I wanted to remind people that Afghans had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/for-many-people-in-the-west-afghanistan-is-synonymous-with-the-soviet/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Way before Watergate, senior administration officials hid behind anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/way-before-watergate-senior-administration-officials-hid-behind/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The internet's perfect for all manner of things, but productive discussion ain't one of them. It provides scant room for debate and infinite opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/the-internet-s-perfect-for-all-manner-of-things-but-productive/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [Both multiplayer games and online forums have this property of virtual anonymity. Other people can't really see you; they don't really know who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sweeney/both-multiplayer-games-and-online-forums-have-this-property-of/) [Tim Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sweeney/) > [People feel they can say nasty things and have anonymity behind the net - as they did with all the nasty comments about me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/people-feel-they-can-say-nasty-things-and-have-anonymity-behind-the/) [Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/) > [Anonymity would be a fantastic umbrella. I don't like intrusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anonymity-would-be-a-fantastic-umbrella-i-don-t-like-intrusion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wouldn't want to even try to begin to describe our customer, as I think she likes a certain amount of anonymity. I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-philo/i-wouldn-t-want-to-even-try-to-begin-to-describe-our-customer-as-i/) [Phoebe Philo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-philo/) > [Most members of Gamergate, the alt-right movement best known for harassing women in the game industry, operate under a veil of anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wu/most-members-of-gamergate-the-alt-right-movement-best-known-for/) [Brianna Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-wu/) > [I came from anonymity, and I will continue to write as a private pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald/i-came-from-anonymity-and-i-will-continue-to-write-as-a-private/) [W. G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald/) > [The problem with losing your anonymity is that you can never go back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marla-maples/the-problem-with-losing-your-anonymity-is-that-you-can-never-go-back/) [Marla Maples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marla-maples/) > [Human beings are not meant to lose their anonymity and privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chalke/human-beings-are-not-meant-to-lose-their-anonymity-and-privacy/) [Sarah Chalke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-chalke/) > [Privacy is important to me. But it's not just about sticking two fingers up and saying I don't want anyone to know my business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/privacy-is-important-to-me-but-it-s-not-just-about-sticking-two/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [Anonymity, in some cases a key civil liberty, also enables society's worst actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wil-wheaton/anonymity-in-some-cases-a-key-civil-liberty-also-enables-society-s/) [Wil Wheaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wil-wheaton/) [Browse all 285 Anonymity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Suppose hypothetically that one out of every 200 people or so is a jerk. In today's world these jerks will discover that if they enter government or business they can become super rich and powerful jerks. Do we conclude, therefore, that markets (or government) have caused greed? 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