Marilyn Monroe
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2006
- Messages
- 2,137
- Reaction score
- 304
- Location
- Tennessee
- Gender
- Female
- Political Leaning
- Conservative
(¶ 136) You see, Sir, that in this enlightened age I am bold enough to confess that we are generally men of untaught feelings, that, instead of casting away all our old prejudices, we cherish them to a very considerable degree, and, to take more shame to ourselves, we cherish them because they are prejudices; and the longer they have lasted and the more generally they have prevailed, the more we cherish them. We are afraid to put men to live and trade each on his own private stock of reason, because we suspect that this stock in each man is small, and that the individuals would do better to avail themselves of the general bank and capital of nations and of ages. Many of our men of speculation, instead of exploding general prejudices, employ their sagacity to discover the latent wisdom which prevails in them. If they find what they seek, and they seldom fail, they think it more wise to continue the prejudice, with the reason involved, than to cast away the coat of prejudice and to leave nothing but the naked reason; because prejudice, with its reason, has a motive to give action to that reason, and an affection which will give it permanence. Prejudice is of ready application in the emergency; it previously engages the mind in a steady course of wisdom and virtue and does not leave the man hesitating in the moment of decision sceptical, puzzled, and unresolved. Prejudice renders a man's virtue his habit, and not a series of unconnected acts. Through just prejudice, his duty becomes a part of his nature.
Edmund Burke.
That whole quote said nothing to me. It was a bunch of words. I think possibly it was saying there's wisdom in prejudice, but it failed to show the other side where there's stupidity, and a yearning to hold onto things that are unjust for the sake of tradition. Tradition in and of itself is many times just a bunch of crap that people have done for a very long time for no reason.
Forgive me if I do not share your confidence in your reason or your wish to rip apart society on your own trivial scheming.
Every now and then society needs a little shaking up, it keeps things more interesting. I don't see how gay marriage will rip society apart. Please explain.