--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prejudice and passion and suspicion are…" description: "\"Prejudice and passion and suspicion are more dangerous than the incitement of self-interest or the most stubborn adherence to real differences of opini..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/elihu-root-16522_adherence_prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are_381316.jpg" --- # Prejudice and passion and suspicion are more dangerous… ![“Prejudice and passion and suspicion are more dangerous than the incitement of self-interest or the most stubborn adherence to real differences of opinion regarding rights.” quote by Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/elihu-root-16522_adherence_prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are_381316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/elihu-root-16522_adherence_prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are_381316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/elihu-root-16522_adherence_prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are_381316.jpg) > “Prejudice and passion and suspicion are more dangerous than the incitement of self-interest or the most stubborn adherence to real differences of opinion regarding rights.” [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prejudice, passion, and suspicion cause greater harm than selfish motives or rigid ideological disputes about rights. **In simple terms:** Bias and emotion are more dangerous than selfishness or stubbornness. Key Takeaway Beware letting bias and emotion drive decisions. Themes prejudice emotion politics rights conflict Mood cautious reflective serious Type ethical political When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - courtroom deliberations - community leadership - policy making Key Concepts social psychology ethical danger group dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when prejudice is influencing a decision? - What steps can reduce emotional bias in political debates? A Different Perspective Bias can be rationalized as justified, making it hard to confront. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adherence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adherence/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Differences of opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences-of-opinion/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) [Suspicion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspicion/) ## Related quotes > [“Reading without suspicion is more dangerous than blogging without authority.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-highland/reading-without-suspicion-is-more-dangerous-than-blogging-without/) [Gordon Highland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-highland/) > [A little bit of suspicion is a dangerous thing; a drop from a pipette of poison into a bucket of otherwise clean water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-pollen/a-little-bit-of-suspicion-is-a-dangerous-thing-a-drop-from-a-pipette/) [Bella Pollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-pollen/) > [Every idea is an incitement. It offers itself for belief, and if believed it is acted on unless some other belief outweighs it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/every-idea-is-an-incitement-it-offers-itself-for-belief-and-if-2/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Everyone knows that on any given day there are energies slumbering in him which the incitement's of that day do not call forth. Compared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/everyone-knows-that-on-any-given-day-there-are-energies-slumbering-in/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [The national media which I consider to be very racist against European Americans and I think they have caused the incitement of African Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/the-national-media-which-i-consider-to-be-very-racist-against/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [If the saying "the Temple Mount in our hands," is portrayed as incitement to the police, there's no need to change the saying, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uri-orbach/if-the-saying-the-temple-mount-in-our-hands-is-portrayed-as/) [Uri Orbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uri-orbach/) > [The greatest incitement to guilt is the hope of sinning with impunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-greatest-incitement-to-guilt-is-the-hope-of-sinning-with-impunity/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Some may find them merely diverting melodies. Others may find them incitements to Red revolution. And who will say if either or both is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/some-may-find-them-merely-diverting-melodies-others-may-find-them/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [ “\[T\]o read was precisely to enter another world, which was not the reader's own, and come back refreshed, ready to bear with equanimity the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/t-o-read-was-precisely-to-enter-another-world-which-was-not-the/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect. Every advance into knowledge opens new prospects, and produces new incitements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/curiosity-is-one-of-the-permanent-and-certain-characteristics-of-a-2/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Allow me to add that it is my conviction that the contents of Der Stuermer as such were not (incitement). During the whole 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-streicher/allow-me-to-add-that-it-is-my-conviction-that-the-contents-of-der/) [Julius Streicher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-streicher/) > [Success: a marvelous stimulant, bubbling with inspiration and incitement. But for all except the few who are strong and steadfast, there lurks beneath the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-hopkins-adams/success-a-marvelous-stimulant-bubbling-with-inspiration-and/) [Samuel Hopkins Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-hopkins-adams/) > [Palestinians need to stop the incitement. They need to stop that kind of activity. But at the same time, there is a need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/palestinians-need-to-stop-the-incitement-they-need-to-stop-that-kind/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Netanyahu is no king, his government sows division and incitement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-gantz/netanyahu-is-no-king-his-government-sows-division-and-incitement/) [Benny Gantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-gantz/) > [“Every idea is an incitement. It offers itself for belief and if believed it is acted on unless some other belief outweighs it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/every-idea-is-an-incitement-it-offers-itself-for-belief-and-if/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/) ## More by Elihu Root > [I guess you will have to go to jail. If that is the result of not understanding the Income Tax Law, I will meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/i-guess-you-will-have-to-go-to-jail-if-that-is-the-result-of-not/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [Human life is held in much higher esteem, and the taking of it, whether in private quarrel or by judicial procedure, is looked upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/human-life-is-held-in-much-higher-esteem-and-the-taking-of-it-whether/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [The line of least resistance in the progress of civilization is to make that theoretical postulate real by the continually increasing force of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/the-line-of-least-resistance-in-the-progress-of-civilization-is-to/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [It is not uncommon in modern times to see governments straining every nerve to keep the peace, and the people whom they represent, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/it-is-not-uncommon-in-modern-times-to-see-governments-straining-every/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [Politics is the practical exercise of the art of self-government, and somebody must attend to it if we are to have self-government; somebody must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/politics-is-the-practical-exercise-of-the-art-of-self-government-and/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [Nobody knows through how many thousands of years fighting men have made a place for themselves while the weak and peaceable have gone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/nobody-knows-through-how-many-thousands-of-years-fighting-men-have/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [The attractive idea that we can now have a parliament of man with authority to control the conduct of nations by legislation or an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/the-attractive-idea-that-we-can-now-have-a-parliament-of-man-with/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [The mere assemblage of peace loving people to interchange convincing reasons for their common faith, mere exhortation and argument to the public in favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/the-mere-assemblage-of-peace-loving-people-to-interchange-convincing/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [The popular tendency is to listen approvingly to the most extreme statements and claims of politicians and orators who seek popularity by declaring their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/the-popular-tendency-is-to-listen-approvingly-to-the-most-extreme/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [In the first place, when there is a policy of intentional aggression, inspired by a desire to get possession of the territory or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/in-the-first-place-when-there-is-a-policy-of-intentional-aggression/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [The framers of the Constitution realized that . . . there needed to be some guardian of the sober second thought, and so they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/the-framers-of-the-constitution-realized-that-there-needed-to-be-some/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [Human nature must have come much nearer perfection than it is now, or will be in many generations, to exclude from such a control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/human-nature-must-have-come-much-nearer-perfection-than-it-is-now-or/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [It is not a question of religion, or of creed, or of party; it is a question of declaring and maintaining the great American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/it-is-not-a-question-of-religion-or-of-creed-or-of-party-it-is-a/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [About half the practice of a decent lawyer is telling would-be clients that they are damned fools and should shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/about-half-the-practice-of-a-decent-lawyer-is-telling-would-be/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [Nothing is more important in the preservation of peace than to secure among the great mass of the people living under constitutional government a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/nothing-is-more-important-in-the-preservation-of-peace-than-to-secure/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) [Explore all 39 Elihu Root quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) ## More Adherence quotes > [No one is born with good character; it's not a hereditary trait. And it isn't determined by a single noble act. Character is established…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/no-one-is-born-with-good-character-it-s-not-a-hereditary-trait-and-it/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [Intellectual adherence is never owed to anything whatsoever, for it is never in any degree a voluntary thing. Attention alone is voluntary. It alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/intellectual-adherence-is-never-owed-to-anything-whatsoever-for-it-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [“start with a baseline of how often a habit or practice atrophies or breaks down, and then you start stacking up advantages to increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/start-with-a-baseline-of-how-often-a-habit-or-practice-atrophies-or/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [Having been brought up with a definition of faith as adherence to a set of beliefs, I have more and more begun to turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/having-been-brought-up-with-a-definition-of-faith-as-adherence-to-a/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [Some communities will be abandoned, others will struggle along, others will split, others will flourish, gain members, and be duplicated elsewhere. Each community must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-nozick/some-communities-will-be-abandoned-others-will-struggle-along-others/) [Robert Nozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-nozick/) > [We love your adherence to democratic principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/we-love-your-adherence-to-democratic-principles/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [Devotion to the facts will always give the pleasures of recognition; adherence to the rules of design, the pleasures of order and certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/devotion-to-the-facts-will-always-give-the-pleasures-of-recognition/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [It is not our affluence, or our plumbing, or our clogged freeways that grip the imagination of others. Rather, it is the values upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/it-is-not-our-affluence-or-our-plumbing-or-our-clogged-freeways-that/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [That the foundation of our national policy should be laid in private morality. If individuals be not influenced by moral principles, it is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/that-the-foundation-of-our-national-policy-should-be-laid-in-private/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [What I mean by the Muse is that unimpeded clearness of the intuitive powers, which a perfectly truthful adherence to every admonition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/what-i-mean-by-the-muse-is-that-unimpeded-clearness-of-the-intuitive/) [Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/) > [If the student truly absorbs the concept of free inquiry in the field of music, unimpeded by blind adherence to doctrine and tradition, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-schuman/if-the-student-truly-absorbs-the-concept-of-free-inquiry-in-the-field/) William Howard Schuman > [“Adherence is key. Keep it in mind when designing experiments; design experiments you can adhere to.   3.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/adherence-is-key-keep-it-in-mind-when-designing-experiments-design/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [It is time that Christians were judged more by their likeness to Christ than their notions of Christ. Were this sentiment generally admitted we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretia-mott/it-is-time-that-christians-were-judged-more-by-their-likeness-to/) [Lucretia Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretia-mott/) > [Sustainable change, after all, depends not upon compliance with external mandates or blind adherence to regulation, but rather upon the pursuit of the greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-b-reeves/sustainable-change-after-all-depends-not-upon-compliance-with/) [Douglas B. Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-b-reeves/) > [These actions were taken with the support and financing of the United States. How can you say this is part of U.S. adherence to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/these-actions-were-taken-with-the-support-and-financing-of-the-united/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) [Browse all 105 Adherence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adherence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prejudice and passion and suspicion are more dangerous than the incitement of self-interest or the most stubborn adherence to real differences of opinion regarding rights.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elihu Root" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are-more-dangerous-than-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adherence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are-more-dangerous-than-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/elihu-root-16522_adherence_prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are_381316.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/elihu-root-16522_adherence_prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are_381316.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/elihu-root-16522_adherence_prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are_381316.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Prejudice and passion and suspicion are more dangerous than the incitement of self-interest or the most…” — Elihu Root", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elihu Root", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Prejudice and passion and suspicion are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are-more-dangerous-than-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/prejudice-and-passion-and-suspicion-are-more-dangerous-than-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```