Anthropology Quote by Ambrose Bierce
“ETHNOLOGY, n. The science that treats of the various tribes of Man, as robbers, thieves, swindlers, dunces, lunatics, idiots and ethnologists.”
About This Quote
Source Satire: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1911
Ethnology is mockingly defined as a study of humanity's worst traits, reflecting the author's cynicism.
In simple terms: Ethnology is portrayed as a study of humanity's flaws.
Key Takeaway
Recognize bias in scholarly definitions.
Themes
satire
critique
human nature
Mood
wry
critical
Type
literary
humorous
When to use this quote
- academic research
- cultural studies
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
cynicism
academic bias
social commentary
Questions to Reflect On
- How does satire reveal truth?
- What are the dangers of biased scholarship?
A Different Perspective
Oversimplification can distort understanding.
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
