Bad Apples” or “Bad Barrels
When Benjamin Franklin wrote, “The rotten apple spoils his companion,” he wasn’t excusing a few bad ones—he was warning that rot spreads. The proverb meant that one person’s negativity, dishonesty, or toxicity can contaminate an entire group if it goes unchecked.
Over time, though, society flipped the meaning: now we use it to downplay problems rather than prevent them.
Modern studies back up Franklin’s original caution.
Organizational psychologists Will Felps, Terence Mitchell, and Eliza Byington found that just one persistently negative team member can:
- Drag down morale
- Kill creativity
- Undermine trust
- Decrease performance
Negativity spreads like an emotional virus—people unconsciously mirror the tone of those around them.
Social psychologist Philip Zimbardo, famous for the Stanford Prison Experiment, later reframed the idea. He said we often focus too much on the “bad apples” and ignore the “bad barrels”—the systems, cultures, and environments that make it easy for good people to go wrong.
In other words, it’s not always one person that spoils the bunch. Sometimes, the barrel itself needs fixing.
Philosopher Hannah Arendt echoed this when she described the “banality of evil.” She argued that ordinary people can do harmful things simply by following norms or systems that reward obedience over conscience.
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Recent Comments
14
I believe this to be very true; however, I try not put my concern in as will only upset me.
Long story short, family friend keeps telling lies to get us to support him while he goes off drinking instead of paying his bills. Every job he gets works one day, quits or sues them. He currently has lawsuit going where he didn't follow company safety protocols after one day of work that resulting in him falling. I asked him how he can be dishonest and be full Christian. Said the exact same thing to him evil awarded and good punished.
Thanks for sharing. Life is a choice. However, it seems some people are wired that way, either by their genes, or society. I can't seem to tell which one is which, nature or nurture. That's also an age-old dilemma. I'm glad you chose the other way.
Keep learning, working, earning, sharing (helping when you can), and that's your share in this meaningless life. We choose our meaning, anyway.
John
...and both the apple and the barrel affect each other depending on how they are connected. While I do socialize whenever I want, the best way for me is to spend most of my time thinking, working, or resting.
John
True, Jannette, which is why I believe it matters "what" you spend your time on, with "who", "where" and "why" and this is because all these are important parts of the whole. Being born and raised in communal society, it's almost impossible to focus on a thing because everyone wants you to socialize endlessly with no plans let alone working on those plans.
Thanks for sharing the quote. It hits home well with me. I made a decision in 2002 to focus on my own life and work, even though I was in a village. People made their own conclusions including that I am a mad man, and it doesn't matter at all. I know who I am and what I am working on and why.
John
Spend my time on tasks that benefit me and my goals. Reason for this post, was going through my social media accounts comments. Others took upon themselves to start arguing on my business page about politics, nowhere is my business about red or blue.
Ah, I see. People still see what they want to see even if it wasn't there in the first place, at least in the eyes of those who wrote the piece. That's their business to argue. There are those who make news, those who consume news, and those who discuss news.
John
Hi Jannette - this is thought provoking. I have seen Bad Apples and very bad barrels in my day. So I would say both are valid observations.... MarkA😉
Yes, they are and I keep my head up and avoid both. I don't make a point to insert myself into situations that make me stress, worry, or get in arguments.
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I avoid the people I know who are always talking negatively and complaining about the things they do not like. MAC.