The Bad Apple

The Bad Apple

How does a bad apple really affect “the bunch?”

The Bad Apple

To prepare for an event at the New York City Javits convention center earlier this year I purchased my largest order of apples ever. I placed the order with Samascott Farms. They were beautiful, tart, Granny Smith Apples fresh from the farm. From each apple you could smell the sun, the nearby vegetation, and even the live stock that must have been nearby. Due to the pandemic, not as many people showed up to the Restaurant and Food Services Show, so I had plenty of apples to spare. I put as many as I could in the fridge, but I had quite the surplus, so some had to remain outside on my table. The apples in the fridge remained bright green while the other apples began to lose their color, becoming more a pale yellowish green. While sorting the apples I noticed one had gone rouge. This was the proverbial “bad apple.”

The saying goes, “One bad apple spoils the bunch.” I’ve heard a truncated version this phrase used frequently over the past few years. It has been used to describe one rotten individual out of a group of many. In that context the phrase, “it’s just one bad apple” is used. However, as you can see, this phrase is incomplete. This phrase has been taken out of context, and, in my opinion, has become misleading and inaccurate. It would seem that this phrase has been used not as an example of how one person can influence a group, but it has erroneously been used to depict how one person can’t affect a large group. Let’s explore the origins of this phrase as it pertains to apples. Also, let’s see how this phrase can be applied to other plants and animals. Finally, we’ll see how this can also be witnessed in social settings in the context of persuasion, influence, and decision making.

The typical household may only buy enough apples for the members to eat before any fruit goes bad. So, this phenomenon may not occur for most people. For the most part, people who buy and sell large quantities of apples will experience this affect. While it’s easy to imagine how an individual animal can defend itself from predators using sharp teeth or claws it may be difficult to imagine how animals can protect their species or a colony. Harder still to imagine this behavior in plants. However, It would appear that some plants and animals have their own public health policies.

“I separate the bad apples from the good. “

Some say this is the defense mechanism of the apple tree. When an apple is bruised or cut it releases a gas called ethylene. This gas triggers the ripening process. Other fruits that may be in close proximity to the damaged fruit will also be triggered to prematurely ripen. Mold can also spread from one apple to another. Yes, plants have defense mechanisms. Bamboo’s defense mechanism is to produce so many seeds that its top predator, the rat, can’t possibly eat every seed. Another plant, when attacked by a particular insect, will send out a chemical to attract that insects particular predator. Also, don’t damage an Alaskan King Crab during a catch. One will release a toxin that can kill all surrounding crabs.

As you can see, the phrase, “One bad apple” has been used to describe a member of a group as being an outlier to dissuade non-members from concluding that all members of that group are “as bad.” Not only is the phrase incomplete, in the context of social and interpersonal relationships it completely ignores the influence we have over each other. As a society we continually exalt the most charismatic among us. Right, wrong, or indifferent, the squeakiest of wheels get the most grease. One toxic individual is more than enough to influence the behavior of many, regardless of rank or status. This is one rule that simply must have an exception. To be influenced by the charismatic is nature. To buck that trend, is human nature.

I separate the bad apples from the good. I inspect any apples that may have come in contact with this bad apple. Some apples are no good, and must be thrown away entirely. Others are only partially bad. Sometimes these bad parts can be cut away, and there’s enough good to be used somewhere else. However, only whole, good apples can be used in my pie, and therefore, can be sent out to the public.