Much of our ignorance is of ourselves. Our eyes are full of dust. Prejudice blinds us.
—Abraham Cowley (1618–67) English Poet, Essayist
A prejudice is a vagrant opinion without visible means of support.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocre minds. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Ignorance is less remote from the truth than prejudice.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally.
—W. C. Fields (1880–1946) American Actor, Comedian, Writer
There is no bigotry like that of “free thought” run to seed.
—Horace Greeley (1811–72) American Elected Rep, Politician, Reformer, Editor
Prejudice, like the spider, makes everywhere its home. It has neither taste nor choice of place, and all that it requires is room. If the one prepares her food by poisoning it to her palate and her use, the other does the same. Prejudice may be denominated the spider of the mind.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
Ignorance is stubborn and prejudice is hard.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.
—Harper Lee (1926–2016) American Novelist
It is well for people who think to change their minds occasionally in order to keep them clean. For those who do not think, it is best at least to rearrange their prejudices once in a while.
—Luther Burbank (1849–1926) American Botanist, Scientist
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
It is never too late to give up our prejudices. No way of thinking or doing, however ancient, can be trusted without proof. What everybody echoes or in silence passes by as true today may turn out to be falsehood tomorrow, mere smoke of opinion, which some had trusted for a cloud that would sprinkle fertilizing rain on their fields.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Prejudices are what rule the vulgar crowd.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Yes great people are always subject to persecution and always getting into straits.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices — just recognize them.
—Edward R. Murrow (1908–65) American Journalist, Radio Personality
Our prejudices are like physical infirmities – we cannot do what they prevent us from doing.
—John Lancaster Spalding (1840–1916) American Catholic Clergyman, Educator, Essayist, Biographer
You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist.
—Indira Gandhi (1917–84) Indian Head of State
The great obstacle to progress is prejudice.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
There is no prejudice that the work of art does not finally overcome.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
Never try to reason the prejudice out of a man. It was not reasoned into him, and cannot be reasoned out.
—Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English Clergyman, Essayist, Wit
The greatest and noblest pleasure which men can have in this world is to discover new truths; and the next is to shake off old prejudices.
—Frederick II of Prussia (1712–86) Prussian Monarch
Prejudices are the chains forged by ignorance to keep men apart.
—Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington (1789–1849) Irish Novelist, Writer
The confirmed prejudices of a thoughtful life, are as hard to change as the confirmed habits of an indolent life: and as some must trifle away age, because they trifled away youth, others must labor on in a maze of error, because they have wandered there too long to find their way out.
—Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke (1678–1751) English Politician, Philosopher
People with a culture of poverty suffer much less from repression than we of the middle class suffer and indeed, if I may make the suggestion with due qualification, they often have a hell of a lot more fun than we have.
—Brian Friel (1929–2015) Irish Dramatist, Short Story Writer
I’m interested in the fact that the less secure a man is, the more likely he is to have extreme prejudice.
—Clint Eastwood (b.1930) American Film Director, Film Producer, Film Actor
A minority group has “arrived” only when it has the right to produce some fools and scoundrels without the entire group paying for it.
—Carl Rowan (1925–2000) American Public Servant, Journalist, Author, Columnist
Prejudices are the principles of people we dislike.
—Dero A. Saunders (1914–2002) American Journalist, Scholar
Prejudice and self-sufficiency naturally proceed from inexperience of the world, and ignorance of mankind.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
I am an invisible man. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids — and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me.
—Ralph Ellison (1914–1994) American Novelist
Inequality is as dear to the American heart as liberty itself.
—William Dean Howells (1837–1920) American Novelist, Short story Author, Editor
There is nothing respecting which a man may be so long unconscious, as of the extent and strength of his prejudices.
—Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (1773–1850) Scottish Judge, Literary Critic