Oppression Quote by Steven Pinker
““People force a despised minority to live in squalor, which makes them seem animalistic and subhuman, which encourages the dominant group to mistreat them further, which degrades them still further, removing any remaining tug on the oppressors’ conscience.””
About This Quote
Source Article: The Better Angels of Our Nature, Steven Pinker, 2011
Dehumanizing a marginalized group justifies further mistreatment, eroding the oppressor's conscience and perpetuating a cycle of degradation.
In simple terms: Seeing others as less human makes abuse easier and worsens oppression.
Key Takeaway
Recognize shared humanity to break the cycle.
Themes
dehumanization
power
oppression
conscience
social psychology
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
ethical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- policy making
- education
- media representation
- community building
Key Concepts
ethics
social theory
human rights
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps can you take to humanize those you view as different?
- How does empathy affect systemic injustice?
A Different Perspective
The view may oversimplify complex power dynamics and ignore agency of oppressed groups.
![“[Christian rebellion] arises from the doctrine of mankind made in the image of God, and therefore protests against all forms of dehumanization. It sets itself against the social injustices which insult God the Creator, seeks to protect human beings from oppression and longs to liberate them… it…” quote by John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/328/john-stott-1926_arise_christian-rebellion-arises-from-the-doct_31161.jpg)
![“Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00c/thomas-jefferson-43_change_single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-t_5515.jpg)
![“[U]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle the apparatus of oppression.” quote by Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7b/shulamith-firestone-12980_accomplished_u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together_5485.jpg)