Quote Tag Results

“In search of social belonging, and the blessed shortcuts that we can take when we’re in the presence of like-minded people, we come to rely on keywords, and then metaphors, and then myths — and at every stage habits become more deeply ingrained in us, habits that inhibit our ability to think.”

“The genuine community is open to thinking and questioning, so long as those thoughts and questions come from people of goodwill.”

“The pressures imposed on us by Inner Rings make genuine thinking almost impossible by making belonging contingent on conformity.”

“Once we are drawn in, once we’re part of the Inner Ring, we maintain our status in part by coming up with post hoc rationalizations that confirm our group identity and, equally important, confirm the nastiness of those who are Outside, who are Not Us.”

“Very simply, it is a great example of our collective eagerness to disparage without knowledge or information about the thing disparaged, when the reward is the pleasure of sharing an attitude one knows is socially approved.”