Steven Johnson Quotes

Most groups today aren't groups. In a true group all the members create the arrangements among themselves.

That which concerns everyone must also be discussed and approved by everyone.

Democracy is the art of thinking independently together.

The era of roadside decisions, declarations have gone. My government's decisions will be guided by teamwork and consultations.

We've always shared everything - writing credits, all the royalties - and there's no real leader because if there was one, we'd immediately depose them.

My favorite thing is to have collectives. Even when it comes to filmmaking as well, filmmaking and music and most art in general, I feel like everyone should have the same say. If you're in a collective, I feel like everyone should have the same say.

Democracy tends to be a collaborative process, a committee, a consensus.

You'll find individuals agreeing on this, but when they get into collective societies and larger groups they find it difficult to achieve group agreement.

I'm a decentralizer. I believe in trusting professionals.

Everything is completely democratic in this band so far and that is the way that we would like to keep it.

The only kind of coercion I recommend is mutual coercion, mutually agreed upon by the majority of the people affected.

Bipartisanship isn't an option anymore; it is a requirement. The American people have divided responsibility for leadership right down the middle.

We started off trying to set up a small anarchist community, but people wouldn't obey the rules.

Snohetta promotes a more democratic workplace atmosphere than most other architectural offices. This may merely reflect prevalent employment practices in Scandinavia, but Snohetta places a stronger emphasis on group participation in the design process than typical high-style firms.

Everything, everywhere, shall be decided by majority vote.

A democrat need not believe that the majority will always reach a wise decision. He should however believe in the necessity of accepting the decision of the majority, be it wise or unwise, until such a time that the majority reaches another decision.

That which touches all should be approved by all. Quod omnes tangit, debet ab omnibus approbari.

A single Executive may be responsible, but a numerous one cannot be responsible.

There is no need for laws voted by a majority or unanimously. Every citizen, every commune and corporation will establish their own particular laws.

... this idea that all wisdom is in the President, in me, that's baloney.... I don't believe this government was set up to be operated by anyone acting alone; no one has a monopoly on the truth and on the facts that are affecting this country.

Nobody, not even the head coach, would do anything to the football unilaterally, such as adjust the amount of pressure in a ball, without the quarterback not knowing. It would have to be the quarterback's idea.

A lot of the foundational philosophical approaches of tech leaders are actually all about decentralization of power.

The reality is that government is a participative process.

Collaborative governance needs to be more than calling on the advice and competence of others to make up for our episcopal shortcomings. Rather, governance involves seeking how God is revealing his work through others in the community.

If a community decides that some conduct is prejudicial to itself, and so decides by numbers sufficient to impose its will upon dissenters, I know of no principle which can stay its hand.