Computer Quote by Mary Douglas
“Institutions have the pathetic megalomania of the computer whose whole vision of the world is its own program.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Purity and Danger, 1966
Institutions act like self‑referential programs, imposing their own logic on reality.
In simple terms: Institutions see the world only through their own rules.
Question institutional assumptions.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- policy making
- organizational change
- public discourse
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do institutions shape your perception?
- Can they be reprogrammed?
Institutions may adapt and evolve, reducing rigidity.