---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I did say that in-group, authority and…"
description: "\"I did say that in-group, authority and purity are necessary for the maintenance of order, but I would never give them a blanket endorsement.\" — Jonatha..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/jonathan-haidt-1823_authority_i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-pu_3051059.jpg"
---

#  I did say that in-group, authority and purity are…

![“I did say that in-group, authority and purity are necessary for the maintenance of order, but I would never give them a blanket endorsement.” quote by Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/jonathan-haidt-1823_authority_i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-pu_3051059.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/jonathan-haidt-1823_authority_i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-pu_3051059.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/jonathan-haidt-1823_authority_i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-pu_3051059.jpg)

> “I did say that in-group, authority and purity are necessary for the maintenance of order, but I would never give them a blanket endorsement.”

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

## About This Quote

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

He acknowledges that group cohesion, authority, and purity help maintain social order, yet he warns against endorsing them unconditionally.

**In simple terms:** Group norms help order but can be harmful if accepted blindly.

Key Takeaway

Question norms, but stay critical.

Themes

social order authority ethics

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical advisory

When to use this quote

- political debate
- community building
- organizational leadership

Key Concepts

Moral psychology social cohesion

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we balance order with individual freedom?
- When should we challenge authority?

A Different Perspective

Blind acceptance can enable oppression.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Purity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purity/)

## Related quotes

> [If we look on idly, heaven and earth will never be joined. To join heaven and earth, some decisive deed of purity is necessary.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/if-we-look-on-idly-heaven-and-earth-will-never-be-joined-to-join-2/)

[Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/)

> [Time and experience have forcefully taught that the power to inspect dwelling places, either as a matter of systematic area-by-area search or, as here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/time-and-experience-have-forcefully-taught-that-the-power-to-inspect/)

[Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/)

> [Although self-reported endorsement of sexist attitudes didn’t predict hiring bias, self-reported objectivity in decision making did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/although-self-reported-endorsement-of-sexist-attitudes-didn-t-predict/)

[Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/)

> [I am not bound by material things. It's being successful that drives me forward. I love success. I don't wake up in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-pietersen/i-am-not-bound-by-material-things-it-s-being-successful-that-drives/)

[Kevin Pietersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-pietersen/)

> [Of course in show business there are two ways to play it and I am not politically correct so I am not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-lange/of-course-in-show-business-there-are-two-ways-to-play-it-and-i-am-not/)

[Artie Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-lange/)

> [When I tour I'm going to countries to play music for people. My presence in a country is not an endorsement or a condemnation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-i-tour-i-m-going-to-countries-to-play-music-for-people-my/)

[Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/)

> [We are delighted to be working with PCG to continue to develop professionalism in the IT industry, and making BCS membership more accessible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-clarke-jr/we-are-delighted-to-be-working-with-pcg-to-continue-to-develop/)

David A. Clarke, Jr

> [In the Senate race I went for some candidate endorsement meetings and three people there asked me: Do you go to a therapist? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-alioto/in-the-senate-race-i-went-for-some-candidate-endorsement-meetings-and/)

[Angela Alioto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-alioto/)

> [Ted Kennedy is endorsing John Kerry and I'm wondering, do you really want the endorsement of a guy with a Bloody Mary mustache?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/ted-kennedy-is-endorsing-john-kerry-and-i-m-wondering-do-you-really/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [That was one of the most fundamental and sacred duties good friends and families performed for one another! They tended the flame of memory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/that-was-one-of-the-most-fundamental-and-sacred-duties-good-friends/)

[Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/)

> [ Now, \[Donald\] Trump has thus far gotten endorsements from illustrious group, that includes Sarah Palin, David Duke, Dennis Rodman, racially profiling birther sheriff, Joe… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/now-donald-trump-has-thus-far-gotten-endorsements-from-illustrious/)

[Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/)

> [You know, I'm very proud of the large number of Hispanic endorsements that I've received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/you-know-i-m-very-proud-of-the-large-number-of-hispanic-endorsements/)

[Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/)

> [Celebrity and charity have been bedfellows for many years. The key is to try and choose practical, sound and effective ones. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-zane/celebrity-and-charity-have-been-bedfellows-for-many-years-the-key-is/)

[Billy Zane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-zane/)

> [Spirituality does two things for you. One, you are forced to become more selfless, two, you trust to providence. The opposite of a spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imran-khan/spirituality-does-two-things-for-you-one-you-are-forced-to-become/)

[Imran Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imran-khan/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

## More by Jonathan Haidt

> [Love and work are to people what water and sunshine are to plants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/love-and-work-are-to-people-what-water-and-sunshine-are-to-plants/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [You can see the rider serving the elephant when people are morally dumbfounded. They have strong gut feelings about what is right and wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/you-can-see-the-rider-serving-the-elephant-when-people-are-morally/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [Congress is full of good, decent, smart people who have devoted their lives to public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/congress-is-full-of-good-decent-smart-people-who-have-devoted-their/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [Once you understand the power of stimulus control, you can use it to your advantage by changing the stimuli in your environment and avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/once-you-understand-the-power-of-stimulus-control-you-can-use-it-to/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“The ethic of autonomy is based on the idea that people are, first and foremost, autonomous individuals with wants, needs, and preferences. People should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/the-ethic-of-autonomy-is-based-on-the-idea-that-people-are-first-and/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [I got interested in the American culture war back in 2004, and it's one of the only growth stocks I've ever invested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/i-got-interested-in-the-american-culture-war-back-in-2004-and-it-s/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [I think of myself as a social scientist. In order to get hired and to get promoted, we're forced to declare a disciplinary and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/i-think-of-myself-as-a-social-scientist-in-order-to-get-hired-and-to/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“We should not expect individuals to produce good, open-minded, truth-seeking reasoning, particularly when self-interest or reputational concerns are in play. But if you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/we-should-not-expect-individuals-to-produce-good-open-minded-truth/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [The most powerful force ever known on this planet is human cooperation - a force for construction and destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/the-most-powerful-force-ever-known-on-this-planet-is-human/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [It only takes twenty generations of selective breeding to create large differences or appearance and behavior in other mammals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/it-only-takes-twenty-generations-of-selective-breeding-to-create/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [If you think half of America votes badly because they are stupid or religious, you are trapped in a matrix ... Take the red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/if-you-think-half-of-america-votes-badly-because-they-are-stupid-or/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“Our minds have the potential to become righteous about many different concerns, and only a few of these concerns are activated during childhood. Other”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/our-minds-have-the-potential-to-become-righteous-about-many-different/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [People who devote their lives to studying something often come to believe that the object of their fascination is the key to understanding everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/people-who-devote-their-lives-to-studying-something-often-come-to/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“Nonetheless, if you are trying to change an organization or a society and you do not consider the effects of your changes on moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/nonetheless-if-you-are-trying-to-change-an-organization-or-a-society/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [If you have a personality predisposed to liberalism, you might gravitate more to the artsy crowd or the anti-establishment crowd. And then those peers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/if-you-have-a-personality-predisposed-to-liberalism-you-might/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

[Explore all 204 Jonathan Haidt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

## More Authority quotes

> [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/)

[Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/)

> [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/)

[Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/)

> [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/)

[Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/)

> [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/)

[Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/)

> [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/)

[Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/)

> [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/)

[Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/)

> [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/)

[Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/)

> [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/)

[Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/)

> [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/)

[Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/)

> [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/)

[Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/)

> [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/)

[Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/)

> [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/)

[Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/)

> [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/)

[Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/)

> [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/)

[Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/)

[Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I did say that in-group, authority and purity are necessary for the maintenance of order, but I would never give them a blanket endorsement.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jonathan Haidt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-purity-are-necessary-for-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Authority"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-purity-are-necessary-for-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/jonathan-haidt-1823_authority_i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-pu_3051059.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/jonathan-haidt-1823_authority_i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-pu_3051059.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/jonathan-haidt-1823_authority_i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-pu_3051059.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I did say that in-group, authority and purity are necessary for the maintenance of order, but I would never…” — Jonathan Haidt",
                "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": "Jonathan Haidt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I did say that in-group, authority...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-purity-are-necessary-for-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/i-did-say-that-in-group-authority-and-purity-are-necessary-for-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
