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Kelly's Law of Committees

None of us are as dumb as all of us.
A counter to the older, pro-teamwork adage "None of us are as smart as all of us."
Speaks to the risk of lower-level workers' input being useless if upper management gives its own opinion first, due to the tendency of workers to fall in line once the position of the leader (who could fire them for dissent) is known.
The wording above was written on a wall at NASA's Houston complex after the Challenger disaster, as reported by astronaut Mark Kelly, husband of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Although the concept has long been known of, once it took the form of an aphorism, it acquired a viral quality.
Niels Bohr and son Aage asked low-level engineer Richard Feynman their questions before asking higher-ups like Oppenheimer, partly to avoid taking up important administrators' time, but also to avoid Kelly's law of committees. Asking the higher-ups first, with lower-level workers present, would have a chilling effect on the latter's offering their own ideas and concerns.
by WhatwasIsaying December 24, 2024
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Itty bitty tittie committee

The Itty Bitty Tittie Committee pulled up with zero volume and maximum violence
by Zzzzzala November 10, 2025
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U.S. house judiciary committee

Oh wow yeah... I don't see how that's EXACTLY THE SAME... As MY thing! How it's not, I'll never know... Yet HERE I SIT! I don't see how my thing isn't worse but OK!
Hym "Yeah, I don't see how you're U.S. house judiciary committee thing isn't just exactly the same as my thing... I don't see how I'm not integral to the plot! I mean, this is literally the retard mediated version of that! Instead of big tech companies and the government it's just the mentally handicapped. This is dogshit. I should be on Oprha or something! But NoOoOoOoOo! How's it not the same except worse? Why am I not on Oprah!? Is it because I called her a fat bitch and told her to stop eating bread!? IT HAS NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE OPRAH!"
by Hym Iam March 12, 2024
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commitea

committed chatting of a committee over a cuppa tea
E committed cardinal sin of pouring tea in for teeing commitea gathering.
by Hercolena Oliver April 28, 2008
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commonterest

Let's hope we have some commonterest.
by Hercolena Oliver February 26, 2009
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Committal B

Committal Bangs - substantial and defined hair bangs/fringe

(Opposite of Non-Committal Bangs) according to a certain Long Island stylist. They 'commit' to being bangs, they do not blend in with the rest of your hair, and they contain more than 5 strands of cut hair.
I just got my Committal B's cut.
by ARIBABY April 8, 2010
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