William H. Whyte Quotes

United States, Journalist
October 1, 1917 – January, 12, 1999.

William Hollingsworth "Holly" Whyte was an American urbanist, organizational analyst, journalist and people-watcher. After his book about corporate culture The Organization Man (1956) sold over two million copies, Whyte turned his attention to the study of human behaviour in urban settings. He published several books on the topic, including The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces (1980).

The onlooker had better wipe the sympathy off his face. What he has seen is a revolution, not the home of little cogs and drones. What he has seen is the dormitory of the next managerial class.

William H. Whyte
- Home
- Revolution
- Sympathy
We have been the most prodigal of people with land, and for years we wasted it with impunity. There was so much of it, and no matter how we fouled it, there was always more over the next hill, or so it seemed.

William H. Whyte
- People
- Matter
- Beens

People tend to sit where there are places to sit

William H. Whyte
- People
- Places
Nonconformity is an empty goal, and rebellion against prevailing opinion merely because it is prevailing should no more be praised than acquiescence to it. Indeed, it is often a mask for cowardice, and few are more pathetic than those who flaunt outer differences to expiate their inner surrender.

William H. Whyte
Trees are contagious; as soon as one neighborhood or street is planted, citizen pressure builds up for action from the next street.

William H. Whyte
It’s not right to put water before people and then keep them away from it.

William H. Whyte
- People
- Water
If you want to seed a place with activity, the first thing to do is to put out food.

William H. Whyte
- Food
- Place
- Activity
People do not always argue because they misunderstand one another, they argue because they hold different goals.

William H. Whyte
- People
- Different
- Arguing

The human backside is a dimension architects seem to have forgotten.

William H. Whyte
People very rarely think in groups; they talk together, they exchange information, they adjudicate, they make compromises. But they do not think; they do not create.

William H. Whyte
- People
- Together
- Change