--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There seems to be such a thing as the…" description: "\"“There seems to be such a thing as the generically prejudiced mind. Studies”\" — Richard Hofstadter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/richard-hofstadter-12288_prejudice_there-seems-to-be-such-a-thing-as-the-ge_2228620.png" --- # There seems to be such a thing as the generically… ![“There seems to be such a thing as the generically prejudiced mind. Studies” quote by Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/richard-hofstadter-12288_prejudice_there-seems-to-be-such-a-thing-as-the-ge_2228620.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/richard-hofstadter-12288_prejudice_there-seems-to-be-such-a-thing-as-the-ge_2228620.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/richard-hofstadter-12288_prejudice_there-seems-to-be-such-a-thing-as-the-ge_2228620.png) > ““There seems to be such a thing as the generically prejudiced mind. Studies”” [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The mind can hold generic prejudices, influencing judgments despite evidence. **In simple terms:** Prejudices bias thinking. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge broad biases. Themes bias prejudice thinking Mood critical analytical Type academic thought‑provoking When to use this quote - media consumption - policy analysis - education - personal reflection Key Concepts cognitive psychology social theory Questions to Reflect On - What biases shape your views? - How can you test assumptions? A Different Perspective Prejudices are often unconscious and hard to change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generically Prejudiced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generically-prejudiced-5004082/) [Mind Studies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-studies-5004083/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Prejudiced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudiced/) [Prejudiced Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudiced-mind-4963731/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Thing Generically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-generically-5004084/) ## Related quotes > [I do not yet want to form a hypothesis to test, because as soon as you make a hypothesis, you become prejudiced. Your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernd-heinrich/i-do-not-yet-want-to-form-a-hypothesis-to-test-because-as-soon-as-you/) [Bernd Heinrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernd-heinrich/) > [The modification of prejudice takes a long time, and occurs as the result of a thousand things that happen to the prejudiced person -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-modification-of-prejudice-takes-a-long-time-and-occurs-as-the/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [Prejudice is a learned trait. You're not born prejudiced; you're taught it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/prejudice-is-a-learned-trait-you-re-not-born-prejudiced-you-re-taught/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [You deny that man is really so prejudiced as I suppose him; talk to him then of some foreign country, ask him what religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulke-greville-1st-baron-brooke/you-deny-that-man-is-really-so-prejudiced-as-i-suppose-him-talk-to/) [Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulke-greville-1st-baron-brooke/) > [To be prejudiced is the privilege of the thinking human being. ... The open mind is the empty mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/to-be-prejudiced-is-the-privilege-of-the-thinking-human-being-the/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [“These days, most Americans who are unashamedly prejudiced know better than to say so, except to a secure, like-minded audience, given that many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/these-days-most-americans-who-are-unashamedly-prejudiced-know-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You’re being prejudiced, McGoo. Even unnaturals want love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/you-re-being-prejudiced-mcgoo-even-unnaturals-want-love/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [Everybody's a racist. It's the one human trait that makes us all exactly the same. Deep down, we only like people who are exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/everybody-s-a-racist-it-s-the-one-human-trait-that-makes-us-all/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [“From the instant of our first meeting I judged him so, though it could be said that I was prejudiced. When one is standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-berg/from-the-instant-of-our-first-meeting-i-judged-him-so-though-it-could/) [Carol Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-berg/) > [Evil isn't prejudiced. It doesn't care what you look like; it just wants a place to rest. It's up to you whether you give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-bridges/evil-isn-t-prejudiced-it-doesn-t-care-what-you-look-like-it-just/) [Ruby Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-bridges/) > [It appears to be in the nature of religion itself to be prejudiced against those who are different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/it-appears-to-be-in-the-nature-of-religion-itself-to-be-prejudiced/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [All my life I've been prejudiced against wealthy people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-waters/all-my-life-i-ve-been-prejudiced-against-wealthy-people/) [Ethel Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-waters/) > [You can ask anyone who knows me, I've never said a racist or prejudiced thing in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-kilmer/you-can-ask-anyone-who-knows-me-i-ve-never-said-a-racist-or/) [Val Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-kilmer/) > [I am not prejudiced in any way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-am-not-prejudiced-in-any-way/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I'm prejudiced about education altogether. I think it's terribly overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/i-m-prejudiced-about-education-altogether-i-think-it-s-terribly/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## More by Richard Hofstadter > [Anti-Catholicism has always been the pornography of the Puritan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/anti-catholicism-has-always-been-the-pornography-of-the-puritan/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [“purity of a sort is easily had where responsibilities are not assumed. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/purity-of-a-sort-is-easily-had-where-responsibilities-are-not-assumed/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [It is a part of the intellectual's tragedy that the things he most values about himself and his work are quite unlike those society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/it-is-a-part-of-the-intellectual-s-tragedy-that-the-things-he-most/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [It has been our fate as a nation not to have ideologies but to be one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/it-has-been-our-fate-as-a-nation-not-to-have-ideologies-but-to-be-one/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [“The truly creative mind is hardly ever so much alone as when it is trying to be sociable. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/the-truly-creative-mind-is-hardly-ever-so-much-alone-as-when-it-is/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [“They thought man was a creature of rapacious self-interest, and yet they wanted him to be free- free, in essence, to contend, to engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/they-thought-man-was-a-creature-of-rapacious-self-interest-and-yet/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [It is a poor head that cannot find plausible reason for doing what the heart wants to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/it-is-a-poor-head-that-cannot-find-plausible-reason-for-doing-what/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [It is possible that the distinction between moral relativism and moral absolutism has sometimes been blurred because an excessively consistent practice of either leads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/it-is-possible-that-the-distinction-between-moral-relativism-and/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [To be sick and helpless is a humiliating experience. Prolonged illness also carries the hazard of narcissistic self-absorption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/to-be-sick-and-helpless-is-a-humiliating-experience-prolonged-illness/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [There has always been in our national experience a type of mind which elevates hatred to a kind of creed; for this mind, group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/there-has-always-been-in-our-national-experience-a-type-of-mind-which/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [The intellectual's ... playfulness, in its various manifestations, is likely to seem to most men a perverse luxury; in the United States the play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/the-intellectual-s-playfulness-in-its-various-manifestations-is/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [“...the danger that American society as a whole will over-esteem intellect or assign it such a transcendent value as to displace other legitimate values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/the-danger-that-american-society-as-a-whole-will-over-esteem/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [To be confronted with a simple and unqualified evil is no doubt a kind of luxury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/to-be-confronted-with-a-simple-and-unqualified-evil-is-no-doubt-a/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [“When one considers American history as a whole, it is hard to think of any very long period in which it could be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/when-one-considers-american-history-as-a-whole-it-is-hard-to-think-of/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [If there is anything more dangerous to the life of the mind than having no independent commitment to ideas, it is having an excess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/if-there-is-anything-more-dangerous-to-the-life-of-the-mind-than/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) [Explore all 55 Richard Hofstadter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) ## More Prejudice quotes > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/when-dealing-with-people-remember-you-are-not-dealing-with-creatures/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Critics are biased, and so are readers. (Indeed, a critic is a bundle of biases held loosely together by a sense of taste.) But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-balliett/critics-are-biased-and-so-are-readers-indeed-a-critic-is-a-bundle-of/) [Whitney Balliett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-balliett/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I hate prejudice on any level. I don't care if it's somebody being discriminated against because of the color of their skin or their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/i-hate-prejudice-on-any-level-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-somebody-being/) [Charlamagne tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [“The mission is, not to replace old world mindlessness with new world mindlessness, but to put an end to all forms of brainless authoritarianism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-mission-is-not-to-replace-old-world-mindlessness-with-new-world/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [So few men are really worth knowing, that it seems a shameful waste to let an anthropoid prejudice stand in the way of free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/so-few-men-are-really-worth-knowing-that-it-seems-a-shameful-waste-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The emancipated woman has to fight something worse than the crusted prejudices of her uncles; she has to fight the bewilderment in her own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-emancipated-woman-has-to-fight-something-worse-than-the-crusted/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Those who embrace prejudice doom themselves to live in ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-lintz-sr/those-who-embrace-prejudice-doom-themselves-to-live-in-ignorance/) [John P Lintz Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-lintz-sr/) > [We all have prejudices to dispel: the need to get away from thinking that 'I' am important and special and 'you' are not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/we-all-have-prejudices-to-dispel-the-need-to-get-away-from-thinking/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [Nothing better protects a human being against the stupidity of prejudice, racism, religious or political sectarianism, and exclusivist nationalism than this truth that invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/nothing-better-protects-a-human-being-against-the-stupidity-of/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [The fight against syphilis demands a fight against prostitution, against prejudices, old habits, against previous conceptions, general views among them not least the false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-fight-against-syphilis-demands-a-fight-against-prostitution/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) [Browse all 2,260 Prejudice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There seems to be such a thing as the generically prejudiced mind. 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