--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a paradox, then, that while we…" description: "\"“It is a paradox, then, that while we insist on the sovereignty of individual choice in all that we do and buy as fundamental to our idea of democracy,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/julian-johnson-63492_discernment_it-is-a-paradox-then-that-while-we-insis_1252711.jpg" --- # It is a paradox, then, that while we insist on the… ![“It is a paradox, then, that while we insist on the sovereignty of individual choice in all that we do and buy as fundamental to our idea of democracy, we have all but expunged the claims of judgment as such. It is symptomatic of our politically correct sensitivities that the idea of choice has…” quote by Julian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/julian-johnson-63492_discernment_it-is-a-paradox-then-that-while-we-insis_1252711.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/julian-johnson-63492_discernment_it-is-a-paradox-then-that-while-we-insis_1252711.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/julian-johnson-63492_discernment_it-is-a-paradox-then-that-while-we-insis_1252711.jpg) > ““It is a paradox, then, that while we insist on the sovereignty of individual choice in all that we do and buy as fundamental to our idea of democracy, we have all but expunged the claims of judgment as such. It is symptomatic of our politically correct sensitivities that the idea of choice has almost replaced the idea of discrimination, a word that has entirely negative connotations today. To be discriminating used to mean to be capable of exercising judgment—to be wise, in fact. It implied that one understood the world and could discern the difference between things. We can hardly use “discrimination” in this way anymore, because the idea of discrimination is now inextricably linked to the idea of rejection and exclusion (whether on racial, sexual, or other grounds).”” [Julian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how modern discourse has shifted from valuing judgment and discernment to equating choice with discrimination, which now carries negative, exclusionary meanings. **In simple terms:** Choice is praised while true judgment is ignored, turning discrimination into a taboo term. Key Takeaway Reclaim the original meaning of discrimination as wise judgment. Themes democracy language judgment choice political correctness Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical commentary When to use this quote - policy debates - education - media analysis - personal decision making Key Concepts critical theory semantic shift social discourse Questions to Reflect On - How can we restore a positive view of discrimination as discernment? - What are the risks of conflating choice with exclusion? A Different Perspective The term “discrimination” still carries strong negative connotations that may hinder nuanced discussion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discernment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discernment/) [Discriminating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discriminating/) [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Judgement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgement/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [I abhor discrimination. The way I was raised was like most Hoosiers, with the golden rule, that you should do unto others what you'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/i-abhor-discrimination-the-way-i-was-raised-was-like-most-hoosiers/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The soul lives forever by giving, not receiving. This is the grand paradox. You get most by giving most. Conversely, by receiving much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-johnson/the-soul-lives-forever-by-giving-not-receiving-this-is-the-grand/) [Julian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-johnson/) > [Discriminating against same-sex couples just isn't right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/discriminating-against-same-sex-couples-just-isn-t-right/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [“Snobbery is one of the things one should be most discriminating about”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-st-aubyn-2/snobbery-is-one-of-the-things-one-should-be-most-discriminating-about/) [Edward St Aubyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-st-aubyn-2/) > [“Privilege is when you contribute to the oppression of others and then claim that you are the one being discriminated against.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/privilege-is-when-you-contribute-to-the-oppression-of-others-and-then/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [“Gender bias is so steeped in the culture, their results implied, that women were themselves discriminating against other women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-saini/gender-bias-is-so-steeped-in-the-culture-their-results-implied-that/) [Angela Saini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-saini/) > [Us as a people, we can't do it on our own. We have to understand that we're not each other's enemy. We have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/us-as-a-people-we-can-t-do-it-on-our-own-we-have-to-understand-that/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [What people do in their own homes is their business, and you can choose to love whoever you love. That's their business. It's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/what-people-do-in-their-own-homes-is-their-business-and-you-can/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I'm a very discriminating shoe shopper. I only look for something special. 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The whole 'light skin versus dark skin' is an idea we need to break down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-rees/we-shouldn-t-be-discriminating-against-each-other-the-whole-light/) [Dee Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-rees/) > [“I'm perfectly discriminating,' he said with a devilish smile. 'How's that? No blondes after Labour Day?' 'I said I was discriminating, not an imbecile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-blake/i-m-perfectly-discriminating-he-said-with-a-devilish-smile-how-s-that/) [Ally Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-blake/) > [The better the coverage, the more discriminating the viewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-savitch/the-better-the-coverage-the-more-discriminating-the-viewer/) [Jessica Savitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-savitch/) ## More by Julian Johnson > [The soul lives forever by giving, not receiving. This is the grand paradox. You get most by giving most. Conversely, by receiving much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-johnson/the-soul-lives-forever-by-giving-not-receiving-this-is-the-grand/) [Julian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-johnson/) > [Nothing in all Nature is more certain than the fact that no single thing or event can stand alone. It is attached to all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-johnson/nothing-in-all-nature-is-more-certain-than-the-fact-that-no-single/) [Julian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-johnson/) > [Classical music is at odds with contemporary culture precisely because of its insistence on the tension between the bodily and intellectual, the material and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-johnson/classical-music-is-at-odds-with-contemporary-culture-precisely/) [Julian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-johnson/) > [Rock music is rhythmically some of the most impoverished music the world has ever heard, a fact that is hard to square with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-johnson/rock-music-is-rhythmically-some-of-the-most-impoverished-music-the/) [Julian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-johnson/) [Explore all 5 Julian Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-johnson/) ## More Discernment quotes > [“Discernment is first of all a habit, a way of seeing that eventually permeates our whole life. 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Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) [Browse all 326 Discernment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discernment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is a paradox, then, that while we insist on the sovereignty of individual choice in all that we do and buy as fundamental to our idea of democracy, we have all but expunged the claims of judgment as such. It is symptomatic of our politically correct sensitivities that the idea of choice has almost replaced the idea of discrimination, a word that has entirely negative connotations today. To be discriminating used to mean to be capable of exercising judgment—to be wise, in fact. It implied that one understood the world and could discern the difference between things. 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