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Saturday, January 07, 2012

Thought for the Day

“A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”

William James

19 comments:

dbs said...

Well said.

Laoch of Chicago said...

dbs, yes, it is easy to fall into this trap I think.

This is Belgium said...

we all should THINK about this one from time to time

Elisabeth said...

That's a powerful one, Laoch and unfortunately it's true.

Carole said...

Great Quote. A lot of truth in it.

Suze said...

But how can one, subject always to their prejudices, tell the difference?

Laoch of Chicago said...

Tib, right.

Elisabeth, agreed.

Carole, I think so too.

Suze, I do not have an easy answer for that except to say that you must test all your assumptions.

Frosty Duncan said...

now i have to think about the way i think... in a good way

Not So Simply Single said...

Prejudice...prej·u·dice   /ˈprɛdʒədɪs/ Show Spelled [prej-uh-dis] Show IPA noun, verb, -diced, -dic·ing.
noun
1. an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.
2. any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.
3. unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group.
4. such attitudes considered collectively: The war against prejudice is never-ending.
5. damage or injury; detriment: a law that operated to the prejudice of the majority.


Try living without one for a day. Virtually impossible...unless you are God of course...

Jolene said...

True... very true.
I think most people are more susceptible to prejudice than to reason.

So did you go to the beach?

PokerLawyer said...

Good reminder.

ps - like the new blog back drop!

Admiral Hestorb said...

another winner! Love it.

Mrs. Tuna said...

My thoughts just keep swirling like a top until I'm dizzy and just plain collapse.

Twisted Scottish Bastard said...

"Most people are complete assholes."

17 year old pupil.

"90% of everything is crud." Theodore Sturgeon

Dr. Cynicism said...

William James was an amazing intellectual. Nearly everything the guy wrote or theorized had this same kind of punch to it -- great quote :-)

Kass said...

I sat next to a very interesting man at the symphony last night who said this about many of his professional colleagues: "Most people want to be within the safety of their own echo chamber."

Your quote is true too.

Laoch of Chicago said...

frosty, always a fruitful enterprise.

nsss, ah, you have finally come to the works and ideas of Wittgenstein.

jolene, it got to be 60 degrees here. Sadly I did not go to the beach although I surely should have.

pl, thanks.

ah, it is a good one.

mrs tuna, join the club.

tsb, I agree with both sentiments. I like some of the fiction by Strugeon, interesting medical science fiction.

dr c, yes, he was a really insightful psychologist.

kass, perspicacious thought!

Twisted Scottish Bastard said...

laoch: Sorry, you're getting mixed up with Surgeon. Ted Sturgeon wrote (among other stories) Killdozer.

Laoch of Chicago said...

tsb, no I just type badly, I meant Sturgeon.