Acceptable Quote by Sydney J. Harris
“Intolerance is the most socially acceptable form of egotism, for it permits us to assume superiority without personal boasting.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Age of Intolerance", 1965, null
Intolerance is socially accepted because it lets people feel superior without boasting.
In simple terms: Intolerance hides ego.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate humility and empathy.
Themes
social behavior
ego
intolerance
culture
psychology
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- workplace dynamics
- political discourse
- online forums
- education
Key Concepts
social conformity
self‑deception
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you felt superiority without bragging?
- How can you model humility in daily life?
A Different Perspective
Humility can be socially costly.
![“In any case, open-seat presidential elections like 2008 just are different in character from incumbent reelects, and I think that's the most important thing about this election - is that once there's an incumbent running for reelection, most of the debate is about, "Has he [Barack Obama] done a…” quote by William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b0/william-kristol-9091_acceptable_in-any-case-open-seat-presidential-elect_36353.jpg)