"One cannot assert authority by accepting one's own fallibility. Simply, people need to be blinded by knowledge - we are made to follow leaders who can gather people together because the advantages of being in groups trump the disadvantages of being alone. It has been more profitable for us to bind together in the wrong direction than to be alone in the right one. Those who have followed the assertive idiot rather than the introspective wise person have passed us some of their genes. This is apparent from a social pathology: psychopaths rally followers."
React to this quote
More by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
See allResonant Thoughts
"...The relationship of a people to their homeland is crucial. A people will naturally have a difficult time maintaining a common cultural identity without a collective presence in their homeland. Only…"
Explore Further
Related Quotes
"Our Eighth Army headquarters is still in Seoul. I don’t understand how they expect the troops to reach the …"
— Chesty Puller"India is lucky to have Dhoni as captain."
— MS Dhoni"I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to …"
— Henri Nouwen"a tool of the democratic, knowledge-pooling, and desire-harmonizing process which cannot be otherwise forwa…"
— Ordway Tead"As a result of discussions and other interactions with gay and lesbian voters across the state, I am more c…"
— Mitt Romney"A great reserve and severity of manners are necessary for the command of those who are older than ourselves."
— Napoleon I of France
Related Thinkers
Related Topics
Deep Dives
- W. Edwards Deming on leadership
- Leonardo da Vinci on life
- Leonardo da Vinci on nature
- Leonardo da Vinci on art
- Leonardo da Vinci on knowledge
- Leonardo da Vinci on philosophy
- Leonardo da Vinci on love
- Leonardo da Vinci on time
- Leonardo da Vinci on truth
- Leonardo da Vinci on Science
- knowledge & Beauty
- knowledge & Change
