In professional work - certainly in the arts and graphics - 99% of people have zero courage. They blow with the wind.
George LoisRead
The business world worships mediocrity. Officially we revere free enterprise, initiative and individuality. Unofficially we fear it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that while society publicly praises individualism and initiative, in practice, it tends to favor conformity and mediocrity.
George Lois highlights a paradox in the business world where, despite the celebrated values of free enterprise and creativity, there exists a deep-rooted fear of true originality and boldness. This fear leads to the veneration of mediocrity, as those who stick to the norm are often favored over those who dare to be different, creating a culture that stifles innovation and true individual expression.
Themes
BusinessMediocrityIndividualityInnovationFear
In practice
Example use cases
This quote would be fitting for a business seminar focused on creativity and innovation.
More from George Lois
All quotes βYou can't test great advertising. You can only test the mediocre. Not that I don't care about demographics. You have to understand who you're going after.
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Truly great images make all the other millions of images you look at unimportant. You gotta look at an image and understand it in a nanosecond.
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In any creative industry, the fact that others are moving in a certain direction is always proof positive, at least to me, that a new direction is the only direction.
George LoisRead
I've done truth to power all my life. It's got me into trouble, but who cares?
George LoisRead
I don't design. I get what I think is a big idea, and I put the idea down. I'm not a designer. I'm a communicator.
George LoisRead
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