Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

The line circulated in U.S. newspapers by 1959 as a motto printed on and distributed via cards, suggesting it functioned as a piece of anonymous epigrammatic humor. A thematically related precursor appeared in a 1930 syndicated column by Elsie Robinson, but the exact modern wording shows up later and was repeatedly reprinted without a clear originator. Much later it began to be credited to George Carlin without supporting evidence.

It warns that collective action can amplify poor judgment: when many people who are uninformed or stubborn align, their combined influence can outweigh more thoughtful individuals and lead to harmful outcomes.

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in a large group.