Neverisms

(1983)

Never overestimate the depth of anti-intellectual traditions.STEPHEN JAY GOULD, in Bully For Brontosaurus (1991)

In a chapter on “The Dinosaur Rip-off,” Gould reported on a survey in which 30 percent of American adults believed that dinosaurs and human beings inhabited the Earth at the same time—a view rejected by all respected scientists. Gould wrote the book three decades ago, and I can only imagine what he might have to say today about the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, which presents an account of man’s early history according to a literal reading of the Book of Genesis. The museum, which opened in 2007, portrays human beings and dinosaurs as coexisting in a world created over a six-day period approximately six thousand years ago.

Never underestimate the effect a mother’s love has on a child,

even when that child becomes an adult.ANDREW M. GREELEY & MARY G. DURKIN,

in The Book of Love (2002)

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.ROBERT A. HEINLEIN

This line became an instant classic almost immediately after appearing as an entry in “The Notebooks of Lazarus Long” in Heinlein’s Time Enough for Love (1973). It also inspired some well-known spin-offs:

You can never underestimate the stupidity of the general public.SCOTT ADAMS, creator of Dilbert

Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups.JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH

Never underestimate the hypocrisy of politicians.JAMES HERBERT

Never underestimate the power of the office grapevine.RUTH HOUSTON, in Is He Cheating on You? (2002)

Never underestimate a genius with a chip on his shoulder.NICOLE KIDMAN, to Alec Baldwin, in the 1993 film Malice

Never underestimate the power of words.MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., in a 1954 sermon

titled “Propagandizing Christianity”

In his first month as pastor of Montgomery, Alabama’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Reverend King gave his new congregation a taste of things to come. Challenging the negative connotation of the term “propaganda,” he argued that “Propaganda may be good or bad depending on the merit of the case urged.” He urged Christians to become “propaganda agents,” saying, “If Hitler could do all of this with an evil idea, it seems that we could rock the world with the truth of the saving power of the gospel.”

Never underestimate the magnitude of the forces

that reinforce complacency and help maintain the status quo.JOHN P. KOTTER, in Leading Change (1996)

Kotter, a Harvard Business School professor, described this as “A good rule of thumb in a major change effort.” In his 2002 sequel The Heart of Change (written with Dan S. Cohen), Kotter offered these three additional rules of thumb that might be derived from the study of human history and the observation of people in organizations:

Never underestimate the power of a good story.

Never underestimate the power of the mind to disempower.

Never underestimate the power of clever people

to help others see the possibilities,

to help them generate a feeling of faith, and to change behavior.

Never underestimate an enemy!LOUIS L’AMOUR, in Last of the Breed (1986)

Never underestimate the power of appealing to a person’s ego.

Sometimes you want to inflate it, and other times you want to attack it.DAVID J. LIEBERMAN, in Never Be Lied to Again (1999)

Never underestimate the impact of the law of unexpected consequences.HARVEY B. MACKAY, in Pushing the Envelope

All the Way to the Top (1998)

Never underestimate the power of

a simple thank-you note . . . or a note of congratulations.HARVEY B. MACKAY, in Dig Your Well

Before You’re Thirsty (1997)

In Management Mess-Ups (2008), Mark Eppler echoed the theme: “Never underestimate the power of a handwritten note of concern or appreciation.”

Never underestimate the power of a single individual to affect the world.

Remember, one candle in a cave lights everything.ABRAHAM H. MASLOW, from an unpublished essay,

found in Maslow’s papers after his death

1. Never underestimate the importance of money.

2. Never overestimate the importance of money.MARK H. MCCORMACK

These were at the very top of McCormack’s “Ten Commandments of Street Smarts” offered in What They Still Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School (1989).

Never underestimate the booberie of the booboisie.H. L. MENCKEN

Mencken coined the term “booboisie” (BOOB-wah-ZEE, a blend of boob and the French term bourgeoisie) to capture his contempt for uncultured Americans—especially those in powerful positions—and their tendency to become consumed with superficialities or guided by idiotic ideas.

Never underestimate the wrath you can incur

by taking more than one parking place.RICHARD A. MORAN, in his 2006 book Nuts, Bolts, & Jolts:

Fundamental Business and Life Lessons You Must Know

Never underestimate the power of looking cute.MICHAEL NASTASI

This was the caption to a photograph of an adorable puppy in Nastasi’s Never Bite When a Growl Will Do, his 2006 book of endearing dog photographs.

Never underestimate the ignorance of the American audience.GEORGE JEAN NATHAN,

noted American theater critic

Never underestimate the power

of the unwritten rules of organizational politics.BEN NELSON & PETER ECONOMY, in

Managing for Dummies, 2nd ed. (2003)

The authors added that “The unwritten rules carry just as much