Accustomed Quote by Michel de Montaigne
“Everyone calls barbarity what he is not accustomed to.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “On Barbarity” (Montaigne’s Essays), 1580
People label unfamiliar customs as barbaric, revealing their own cultural bias.
In simple terms: Calling foreign customs barbaric shows bias.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about “civilized” behavior.
Themes
culture
prejudice
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- traveling abroad
- studying other cultures
- teaching tolerance
Key Concepts
ethnocentrism
relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you define “civilized”?
- Can you identify your own biases?
A Different Perspective
May oversimplify complex cultural differences.
