Mary Douglas Quotes

Quotes about:

• If we can abstract pathogenicity and hygiene from our notion of dirt, we are left with the old definition of dirt as matter out of place. This is a very suggestive approach. It implies two conditions: a set of ordered relations and a contrevention of that order. Dirt then, is never a unique, isolated event. Where there is dirt there is a system. Dirt is the by-product of a systematic ordering and classification of matter, in so far as ordering involves rejecting inappropriate elements.

  Mary Douglas

  Unique, Order, Hygiene

  "Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo". Book by Mary Douglas, 1966.

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• Where there is dirt there is system. Dirt is the byproduct of a systematic ordering and classification of matter.

  Mary Douglas

  Systematic, Matter, Dirt

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• If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization.

  Mary Douglas

  Change, Organization, Culture

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• The human body is always treated as an image of society.

  Mary Douglas

  Body, Human Body, Treated

  Professor Mary Douglas, Mary Douglas (2004). “Natural Symbols: Explorations in Cosmology”, p.78, Routledge

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• Pretensions to moral superiority are devastatingly destructive.

  Mary Douglas

  Moral, Pretension, Destructive

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• The natural response of the old-timers is to build a strong moral wall against the outside. This is where the world starts to be painted in black and white, saints inside, and sinners outside the wall.

  Mary Douglas

  Strong, Wall, Black And White

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• The theory of cultural bias... is the idea that a culture is based on a particular form of organization. It can't be transplanted except to another variant of that organization.

  Mary Douglas

  Ideas, Organization, Prejudice

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• Every year the progress of advanced capitalist society makes our population consist of more and more isolates. This is because of the infrastructure of the economy, especially electronic communications.

  Mary Douglas

  Communication, Years, Progress

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• Hierarchy works well in a stable environment.

  Mary Douglas

  Hierarchy, Environment, Wells

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• Institutions have the pathetic megalomania of the computer whose whole vision of the world is its own program.

  Mary Douglas

  Vision, World, Computer

  Mary Douglas (1986). “How Institutions Think”, p.92, Syracuse University Press

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• I am sure it must be true that people opt out of the mainstream society because they feel that there are going to be no rewards for them, if they stay.

  Mary Douglas

  Mainstream Society, People, Rewards

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• I have increasingly, over the years, felt that religion today does our civilization more harm than good.

  Mary Douglas

  Years, Civilization, Doe

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• Our technological infrastructure alienates us from each other. No need to form a workplace community, everybody there will be out in a year or two, and so will you, looking for a better place.

  Mary Douglas

  Two, Years, Safety

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• Behind a leader there must be followers, but they should always be on the lookout for the main chance and ready to change sides if the current leader doesn't deliver.

  Mary Douglas

  Leadership, Followers, Sides

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• Inside a religious body you get sects and hierarchies, inside an information network you get bazaars and cathedrals, it is the same, call them what you like. They survive by pointing the finger of blame at each other.

  Mary Douglas

  Religious, Bazaars, Body

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• Real equality is immensely difficult to achieve, it needs continual revision and monitoring of distributions. And it does not provide buffers between members, so they are continually colliding or frustrating each other.

  Mary Douglas

  Real, Equality, Frustrated

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• I am convinced that living in an enclave shapes the personality, and living alone shapes the personality too.

  Mary Douglas

  Personality, Shapes, Living Alone

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• Without the letters of condolence, telegrams of congratulations and even occasional postcards, the friendship of a separated friend is not a social reality. It has no existence without the rites of friendship. Social rituals create a reality which would be nothing without them.

  Mary Douglas

  Congratulations, Condolences, Reality

  "Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo".

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• Religion can make it worse. Are you supposing that if people were encouraged to believe in a transcendent reality, and to be encouraged by grand rituals and music and preaching, to love their neighbors, then they would put jealousy and frustration aside?

  Mary Douglas

  Jealousy, Believe, Frustration

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• Islam is in principle egalitarian, and has always had problems with power.

  Mary Douglas

  Egalitarianism, Islam, Principles

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• It seems true that the growth of science and secularism made organized Christianity feel under threat.

  Mary Douglas

  Christian, Growth, Made

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• Yes, disappointment over perceived unfairness, injustice, promises not kept, tends to go hand in hand with increasing prosperity. Expectations are dashed. What can I say!

  Mary Douglas

  Disappointment, Hands, Expectations

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• Inequality can have a bad downside, but equality, for its part, sure does get in the way of coordination.

  Mary Douglas

  Equality, Doe, Way

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• It is very reasonable to worry about the harm done by organized religion, and to prefer looser and more private arrangements.

  Mary Douglas

  Worry, Done, Recycling

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• It is only partly true that religion does more harm than good in society. The community makes God into the image it wants, vengeful, or milky sweet, or scrupulously just, and so on.

  Mary Douglas

  Sweet, Community, Doe

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