Doing right Quote by Ray Bradbury
““I hate being clever, thought the captain, when you don’t really feel clever and don’t want to be clever. To sneak around and make plans and feel big about making them. I hate this feeling of thinking I’m doing right when I’m not really certain I am. Who are we, anyway? The majority? Is that the answer? The majority is always holy, is it not? Always, always; just never wrong for one little insignificant tiny moment, is it? Never ever wrong in ten million years? He thought: What is this majority and who are in it? And what do they think and how did they get that way and will they ever change and how the devil did I get caught in this rotten majority? I don’t feel comfortable. Is it claustrophobia, fear of crowds, or common sense? Can one man be right, while all the world thinks they are right? Let’s not think about it. Let’s crawl around and act exciting and pull the trigger. There, and there!””
About This Quote
Source Short story: Unspecified, possibly a fragment from a Bradbury work
The narrator wrestles with the discomfort of feeling clever, questioning majority opinion and the certainty of being right, feeling trapped by collective belief.
In simple terms: Feeling uneasy about being smart and doubting the crowd’s correctness.
Key Takeaway
Question the crowd’s wisdom and your own certainty.
Themes
conformity
identity
self‑doubt
philosophical inquiry
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- group decision making
- personal ethics
- creative brainstorming
- social dynamics
Key Concepts
majority influence
existential angst
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- When do you trust your own judgment over the majority?
- How can you balance confidence with humility?
A Different Perspective
The rant may overgeneralize the majority as infallible, ignoring nuance.
