--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To call the belief in substantial human…" description: "\"“To call the belief in substantial human equality a superstition is to insult superstition. It might be unwarranted to believe in leprechauns, but at l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/nick-land-35995_dogma_to-call-the-belief-in-substantial-human_2265423.jpg" --- # To call the belief in substantial human equality a… ![“To call the belief in substantial human equality a superstition is to insult superstition. It might be unwarranted to believe in leprechauns, but at least the person who holds to such a belief isn’t watching them not exist, for every waking hour of the day. Human inequality, in contrast, and in…” quote by Nick Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/nick-land-35995_dogma_to-call-the-belief-in-substantial-human_2265423.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/nick-land-35995_dogma_to-call-the-belief-in-substantial-human_2265423.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/nick-land-35995_dogma_to-call-the-belief-in-substantial-human_2265423.jpg) > ““To call the belief in substantial human equality a superstition is to insult superstition. It might be unwarranted to believe in leprechauns, but at least the person who holds to such a belief isn’t watching them not exist, for every waking hour of the day. Human inequality, in contrast, and in all of its abundant multiplicity, is constantly on display, as people exhibit their variations in gender, ethnicity, physical attractiveness, size and shape, strength, health, agility, charm, humor, wit, industriousness, and sociability, among countless other features, traits, abilities, and aspects of their personality, some immediately and conspicuously, some only slowly, over time. To absorb even the slightest fraction of all this and to conclude, in the only way possible, that it is either nothing at all, or a ‘social construct’ and index of oppression, is sheer Gnostic delirium: a commitment beyond all evidence to the existence of a true and good world veiled by appearances. People are not equal, they do not develop equally, their goals and achievements are not equal, and nothing can make them equal. Substantial equality has no relation to reality, except as its systematic negation. Violence on a genocidal scale is required to even approximate to a practical egalitarian program, and if anything less ambitious is attempted, people get around it (some more competently than others).”” [Nick Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-land/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claiming human equality is a superstition ignores observable diversity and the impossibility of true equality. **In simple terms:** Equality is unrealistic given human differences. Key Takeaway Focus on fairness, not false equality. Themes philosophy social critique ethics Mood skeptical critical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - policy design - education reform - resource allocation - conflict resolution Key Concepts inequality social construct gnosticism violence Questions to Reflect On - Is absolute equality achievable? - How can societies balance fairness with diversity? A Different Perspective Violence is not a solution to inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dogma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogma/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Equality of opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality-of-opportunity/) [Equality Superstition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality-superstition-5228901/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Goals and achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals-and-achievement/) [Human equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-equality/) [Reaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaction/) [Substantial Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substantial-equality-3071425/) [Superstition Unwarranted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstition-unwarranted-5228902/) [Superstitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstitions/) ## Related quotes > [No republic can long exist unless a substantial equality in the wealth of citizens prevails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/no-republic-can-long-exist-unless-a-substantial-equality-in-the/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [“The equality in political, industrial and social life which modern men must have in order to live, is not to be confounded with sameness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/the-equality-in-political-industrial-and-social-life-which-modern-men/) [W. 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