Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes About Prejudice

• We ought to be cautious in taking even the best ascertained opinions and practices of the primitive Church for our own. If it could be satisfactorily shown that they esteemed it authorized and transmitted forever, that does not settle the question for us. We know how inveterately they were attached to their Jewish prejudices, and how often even the influence of Christ failed to enlarge their views. On every other subject succeeding times have learned to form a judgement more in accordance with the spirit of Christianity than was the practice of the early ages.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Views, Practice, Forever

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (2009). “The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.105, Modern Library

• Our prejudices are our robbers, they rob us valuable things in life. People only see what they are prepared to see.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Things In Life, People, Prejudice

• Our civility, England determines the style of, inasmuch as England is the strongest of the family of existing nations, and as we are the expansion of that people. It is that of a trading nation; it is a shopkeeping civility. The English lord is a retired shopkeeper, and has the prejudices and timidities of that profession.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  People, Style, Expansion

  Ralph Waldo Emerson, David Mikics (2012). “The Annotated Emerson”, p.310, Harvard University Press

• Nature never rhymes her children, nor makes two men alike. When we see a great man, we fancy a resemblance to some historical person, and predict the sequel of his character and fortune, a result which he is sure to disappoint. None will ever solve the problem of his character according to our prejudice, but only in his high unprecedented way.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Leadership, Children, Character

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1983). “Essays and Lectures”, p.505, Library of America

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