Blunders Quote by Victor Hugo
“Great blunders are often made, like large ropes, of a multitude of fibers. Take the cable thread by thread, take separately all the little determining motives, you break them one after another, and you say: that is all! Wind them and twist them together, they become an enormity.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, 1862
Complex problems consist of many small causes; addressing each individually can seem to solve the whole, but recombining them creates a larger issue.
In simple terms: Small causes add up to big problems.
Analyze and address root causes, not just symptoms.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- project management
- policy design
- conflict resolution
- organizational change
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What hidden interactions might you be missing?
- How can you address the system as a whole?
Focusing on isolated details may overlook how they interact to form larger challenges.