---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Biophobia is as much a part of a…"
description: "\"Biophobia is as much a part of a politician's basic equipment as a sharp suit.\" — John Derbyshire"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/john-derbyshire-20276_anti-political_biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politic_731381.png"
---

#  Biophobia is as much a part of a politician's basic…

![“Biophobia is as much a part of a politician's basic equipment as a sharp suit.” quote by John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/john-derbyshire-20276_anti-political_biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politic_731381.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/john-derbyshire-20276_anti-political_biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politic_731381.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/john-derbyshire-20276_anti-political_biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politic_731381.png)

> “Biophobia is as much a part of a politician's basic equipment as a sharp suit.”

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He likens politicians’ fear of biology to a necessary, albeit uncomfortable, tool like a sharp suit.

**In simple terms:** Politicians often hide from biological issues as a defensive habit.

Key Takeaway

Address biophobia directly in policy.

Themes

politics biophobia health policy defensive tactics leadership

Mood

critical analytical

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- legislative debates
- public health campaigns
- education
- leadership training

Key Concepts

risk aversion public health policy making

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do leaders avoid biological topics?
- How can we reduce biophobia in governance?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex political motivations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anti political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-political/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/)

## Related quotes

> [Politics, as any observer of the modern world knows, is the enemy of economics, everywhere and always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/politics-as-any-observer-of-the-modern-world-knows-is-the-enemy-of/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [I think the Republican party should be placed in drydock and have the barnacles scraped off its bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/i-think-the-republican-party-should-be-placed-in-drydock-and-have-the/)

[Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/)

> [People who consider themselves political, who follow political developments most rigorously, are often those who view the political process with the greatest lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-rice/people-who-consider-themselves-political-who-follow-political/)

[Boyd Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-rice/)

> [It’s a revolution. But it’s the sort of revolution that no one will notice. It might get a little shadier. Buildings might function better.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/it-s-a-revolution-but-it-s-the-sort-of-revolution-that-no-one-will/)

[Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/)

> [Continuing to believe the same thing, even in the face of new evidence to the contrary, is the definition of insanity - except in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/continuing-to-believe-the-same-thing-even-in-the-face-of-new-evidence/)

[Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/)

> [Political action involves mental vulgarity, not merely because it entails the occurrence and support of those who are mentally vulgar, but because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-joseph-oakeshott/political-action-involves-mental-vulgarity-not-merely-because-it/)

[Michael Joseph Oakeshott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-joseph-oakeshott/)

> [Politics is the art of making your selfish desires seem like the national interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/politics-is-the-art-of-making-your-selfish-desires-seem-like-the/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [The role of the scholar is to destroy chimeras, that of the statesman is to make use of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-le-bon/the-role-of-the-scholar-is-to-destroy-chimeras-that-of-the-statesman/)

[Gustave Le Bon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-le-bon/)

> [In daily life, reality gives us material incentives to restrain our irrationality. But what incentive do we have to think rationally about politics?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-caplan/in-daily-life-reality-gives-us-material-incentives-to-restrain-our/)

[Bryan Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-caplan/)

> [The typical citizen drops down to a lower level of mental performance as soon as he enters the political field. He argues and analyzes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-a-schumpeter/the-typical-citizen-drops-down-to-a-lower-level-of-mental-performance/)

[Joseph A. Schumpeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-a-schumpeter/)

> [It would be nice to spend billions on schools and roads, but right now that money is desperately needed for political ads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-borowitz/it-would-be-nice-to-spend-billions-on-schools-and-roads-but-right-now/)

[Andy Borowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-borowitz/)

> [A sort of angry populism here in the UK and across Europe, a sort of anti-political mood and what then steps into that place?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/a-sort-of-angry-populism-here-in-the-uk-and-across-europe-a-sort-of/)

[Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/)

> [If libertarianism were easy to explain, and it weren't easy to exaggerate the effects of libertarianism, I think it would have been done already.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/if-libertarianism-were-easy-to-explain-and-it-weren-t-easy-to/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/)

[Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/)

> [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/)

[Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/)

## More by John Derbyshire

> [Wherever there is a jackboot stomping on a human face there will be a well-heeled Western liberal to explain that the face does, after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/wherever-there-is-a-jackboot-stomping-on-a-human-face-there-will-be-a/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [Conservatism is pessimistic, with a negative tendency - which we mostly resist - towards despair. Liberals are optimists, with a negative tendency, rarely resisted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/conservatism-is-pessimistic-with-a-negative-tendency-which-we-mostly/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [Nonmathematical people sometimes ask me, “You know math, huh? Tell me something I’ve always wondered, What is infinity divided by infinity?” I can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/nonmathematical-people-sometimes-ask-me-you-know-math-huh-tell-me/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [I tell you, with complex numbers you can do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/i-tell-you-with-complex-numbers-you-can-do-anything/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“The arts and humanities are not mere entertainment, to be turned to for relaxation after a busy day spent solving differential equations; they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/the-arts-and-humanities-are-not-mere-entertainment-to-be-turned-to/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [In matters editorial, I am a believer in totalitarian despotism. Most writers are lazy, difficult, selfish, thoughtless, and unreliable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/in-matters-editorial-i-am-a-believer-in-totalitarian-despotism-most/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [I never ponder counterfactuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/i-never-ponder-counterfactuals/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“Ninety percent of paid work is time-wasting crap. The world gets by on the other ten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/ninety-percent-of-paid-work-is-time-wasting-crap-the-world-gets-by-on/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [The job of conservatives is to keep the Republican Party driving on the right-hand side of the road. There are many ways we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/the-job-of-conservatives-is-to-keep-the-republican-party-driving-on/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [Education is a vast sea of lies, waste, corruption, crackpot theorizing, and careerist log-rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/education-is-a-vast-sea-of-lies-waste-corruption-crackpot-theorizing/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“A very civilized thing, glass—almost an index of civilization. When civilization retreats, it leaves behind broken glass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/a-very-civilized-thing-glass-almost-an-index-of-civilization-when/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“As a result of these news stories, millions of people must have become aware of "niggardly," who otherwise would never have heard it, let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/as-a-result-of-these-news-stories-millions-of-people-must-have-become/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [ He \[Mencken\] was an autodidact, with all the misplaced confidence and all the astonishing gaps that characterize that breed. Not many of us would… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/he-mencken-was-an-autodidact-with-all-the-misplaced-confidence-and/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“Our political system is now run by the Big People for their own interests. If they ever deign to notice the Little People, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/our-political-system-is-now-run-by-the-big-people-for-their-own/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“Mathematicians call it “the arithmetic of congruences.” You can think of it as clock arithmetic. Temporarily replace the 12 on a clock face with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/mathematicians-call-it-the-arithmetic-of-congruences-you-can-think-of/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

[Explore all 31 John Derbyshire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

## More Anti political quotes

> [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/)

[Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/)

> [If libertarianism were easy to explain, and it weren't easy to exaggerate the effects of libertarianism, I think it would have been done already.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/if-libertarianism-were-easy-to-explain-and-it-weren-t-easy-to/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [A sort of angry populism here in the UK and across Europe, a sort of anti-political mood and what then steps into that place?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/a-sort-of-angry-populism-here-in-the-uk-and-across-europe-a-sort-of/)

[Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/)

> [It would be nice to spend billions on schools and roads, but right now that money is desperately needed for political ads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-borowitz/it-would-be-nice-to-spend-billions-on-schools-and-roads-but-right-now/)

[Andy Borowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-borowitz/)

> [The typical citizen drops down to a lower level of mental performance as soon as he enters the political field. He argues and analyzes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-a-schumpeter/the-typical-citizen-drops-down-to-a-lower-level-of-mental-performance/)

[Joseph A. Schumpeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-a-schumpeter/)

> [In daily life, reality gives us material incentives to restrain our irrationality. But what incentive do we have to think rationally about politics?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-caplan/in-daily-life-reality-gives-us-material-incentives-to-restrain-our/)

[Bryan Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-caplan/)

> [The role of the scholar is to destroy chimeras, that of the statesman is to make use of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-le-bon/the-role-of-the-scholar-is-to-destroy-chimeras-that-of-the-statesman/)

[Gustave Le Bon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-le-bon/)

> [Politics is the art of making your selfish desires seem like the national interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/politics-is-the-art-of-making-your-selfish-desires-seem-like-the/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [Political action involves mental vulgarity, not merely because it entails the occurrence and support of those who are mentally vulgar, but because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-joseph-oakeshott/political-action-involves-mental-vulgarity-not-merely-because-it/)

[Michael Joseph Oakeshott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-joseph-oakeshott/)

> [Continuing to believe the same thing, even in the face of new evidence to the contrary, is the definition of insanity - except in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/continuing-to-believe-the-same-thing-even-in-the-face-of-new-evidence/)

[Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/)

> [It’s a revolution. But it’s the sort of revolution that no one will notice. It might get a little shadier. Buildings might function better.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/it-s-a-revolution-but-it-s-the-sort-of-revolution-that-no-one-will/)

[Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/)

> [Politics, as any observer of the modern world knows, is the enemy of economics, everywhere and always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/politics-as-any-observer-of-the-modern-world-knows-is-the-enemy-of/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [People who consider themselves political, who follow political developments most rigorously, are often those who view the political process with the greatest lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-rice/people-who-consider-themselves-political-who-follow-political/)

[Boyd Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-rice/)

> [I think the Republican party should be placed in drydock and have the barnacles scraped off its bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/i-think-the-republican-party-should-be-placed-in-drydock-and-have-the/)

[Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/)

[Browse all 15 Anti political quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-political/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Biophobia is as much a part of a politician's basic equipment as a sharp suit.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Derbyshire"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politician-s-basic-equipment-as-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anti political"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politician-s-basic-equipment-as-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/john-derbyshire-20276_anti-political_biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politic_731381.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/john-derbyshire-20276_anti-political_biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politic_731381.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/john-derbyshire-20276_anti-political_biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politic_731381.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Biophobia is as much a part of a politician's basic equipment as a sharp suit.” — John Derbyshire",
                "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": "John Derbyshire",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Biophobia is as much a part...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politician-s-basic-equipment-as-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politician-s-basic-equipment-as-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```