--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a man erects any barriers at all to…" description: "\"“If a man erects any barriers at all to those he would consider his companions, he is condemned as a bigot. Modernity doesn’t want a small tribal fire ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/tanner-cook-281494_borders_if-a-man-erects-any-barriers-at-all-to-t_2003499.jpg" --- # If a man erects any barriers at all to those he would… ![“If a man erects any barriers at all to those he would consider his companions, he is condemned as a bigot. Modernity doesn’t want a small tribal fire contained in the center of like-minded peoples. It would rather set the forest on fire in order to “enlighten” the world.” quote by Tanner Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/tanner-cook-281494_borders_if-a-man-erects-any-barriers-at-all-to-t_2003499.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/tanner-cook-281494_borders_if-a-man-erects-any-barriers-at-all-to-t_2003499.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/tanner-cook-281494_borders_if-a-man-erects-any-barriers-at-all-to-t_2003499.jpg) > ““If a man erects any barriers at all to those he would consider his companions, he is condemned as a bigot. Modernity doesn’t want a small tribal fire contained in the center of like-minded peoples. It would rather set the forest on fire in order to “enlighten” the world.”” [Tanner Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanner-cook/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bigotry creates barriers, while modernity seeks to ignite widespread enlightenment, rejecting small tribal isolation **In simple terms:** Bigotry builds walls; modernity wants to spread ideas broadly Key Takeaway Challenge bigotry, embrace openness Themes bigotry division modernity enlightenment globalism Mood critical thought‑provoking Type Bigot:1 Borders:1 Globalism:1 Modernity:1 Tribe:0 Bigot Modernity:0 Condemned Bigot:0 Modernity Doesn:0 Barriers Consider:0 When to use this quote - activism - education - policy making - community building Key Concepts philosophy political theory social change Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance global ideas with local identity? - What are the risks of forced enlightenment? A Different Perspective Modernity may overlook local cultures and impose homogenization ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barriers Consider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers-consider-3538812/) [Bigot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigot/) [Bigot Modernity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigot-modernity-3538809/) [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Condemned Bigot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condemned-bigot-3538810/) [Globalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/globalism/) [Modernity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modernity/) [Modernity Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modernity-doesn-3538811/) [Tribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribe/) ## Related quotes > [I feel that I helped the working class by just saying there are no barriers, which I consider to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-feel-that-i-helped-the-working-class-by-just-saying-there-are-no/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I like the pluralism of modernity; it doesn't threaten me or my faith. And if one's faith is dependent on being reinforced in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/i-like-the-pluralism-of-modernity-it-doesn-t-threaten-me-or-my-faith/) [Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/) > [“Kris,” Leonard Scott looked at her from across the table, “we are hiring a group of people who will take part in helping the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-swann/kris-leonard-scott-looked-at-her-from-across-the-table-we-are-hiring/) [Alexandra Swann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-swann/) > [“The world has a very serious problem, my friend' Shiva went on. 'Poor children still die by their millions. Westerners and the global rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramez-naam/the-world-has-a-very-serious-problem-my-friend-shiva-went-on-poor/) [Ramez Naam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramez-naam/) > [There's a real connection between the history of print in Europe and nationalism, and how those two things could be formed. I think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-katchor/there-s-a-real-connection-between-the-history-of-print-in-europe-and/) [Ben Katchor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-katchor/) > [The modern banking system manufactures money out of nothing. The process is perhaps the most astounding piece of sleight-of-hand that was ever invented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-stamp/the-modern-banking-system-manufactures-money-out-of-nothing-the/) [Josiah Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-stamp/) > [“We can reach a global harmony if we remove xenophobia”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neda-aria/we-can-reach-a-global-harmony-if-we-remove-xenophobia/) [Neda Aria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neda-aria/) > [“Stars-n-stripes, union jack, all trivial, for the world is my neighborhood. I got no brotherhood of cult or creed, for the world is my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/stars-n-stripes-union-jack-all-trivial-for-the-world-is-my/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Citizens without fear are citizens without border.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/citizens-without-fear-are-citizens-without-border/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“As long as the United States remains a democracy, I want to be in the ideological fight against illiberal nationalism and continue to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/as-long-as-the-united-states-remains-a-democracy-i-want-to-be-in-the/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [As the Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe has presciently pointed out, neoliberal corporate globalism threatens to exploit that advantage like never before, and it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-naffis-sahely/as-the-cameroonian-philosopher-achille-mbembe-has-presciently-pointed/) [Andre Naffis-Sahely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-naffis-sahely/) > [“Failing to be American (The Sonnet) I've tried to rekindle the American sentiment of my early days of writing, but in vain. Once you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/failing-to-be-american-the-sonnet-i-ve-tried-to-rekindle-the-american/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Private property based on the labour of the small proprietor, free competition, democracy, i.e., all the catchwords with which the capitalists and their press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/private-property-based-on-the-labour-of-the-small-proprietor-free/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [The slave trade was globalism. Why people insist that globalism, after its hideous history, is a good thing, I do not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/the-slave-trade-was-globalism-why-people-insist-that-globalism-after/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [“All right. You want to know about Nigel. I’ll tell you about Nigel. He’s come a long way since that so-called accident, Jon. Heck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-corey/all-right-you-want-to-know-about-nigel-i-ll-tell-you-about-nigel-he-s/) [Shawn Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-corey/) ## More Bigot quotes > [I found from working on the film that I am a bigot, at times. And that I am also a coward, at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-howard/i-found-from-working-on-the-film-that-i-am-a-bigot-at-times-and-that/) [Terrence Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-howard/) > [These days I am a teetotal, mean-spirited, right-wing, narrow-minded, conservative Christian bigot, but not a racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-russell/these-days-i-am-a-teetotal-mean-spirited-right-wing-narrow-minded/) [Jane Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-russell/) > [“Those who benefit from unearned privilege are too often quick to discount those who don't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/those-who-benefit-from-unearned-privilege-are-too-often-quick-to/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [“Apes throw tantrum when they are insecure, pursuit of delusion soothes the vegetated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/apes-throw-tantrum-when-they-are-insecure-pursuit-of-delusion-soothes/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Bigots often like to say they're the ones being hurt as they oppress and hurt others. Never fall for the 'pity the privileged' routine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/bigots-often-like-to-say-they-re-the-ones-being-hurt-as-they-oppress/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [“Both Richard and I sat silent and watched Jennifer Lee . She came across the room and over to us and swept our chess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-brown/both-richard-and-i-sat-silent-and-watched-jennifer-lee-she-came/) [Cecil Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-brown/) > [Am I an Apple bigot? No. I can critique their products and their customer service philosophy. But overall, they do better than any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/am-i-an-apple-bigot-no-i-can-critique-their-products-and-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I have never met a bigot who was a reader as a child. (ix)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-dane-bauer/i-have-never-met-a-bigot-who-was-a-reader-as-a-child-ix/) [Marion Dane Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-dane-bauer/) > [He who will not reason, is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-drummond/he-who-will-not-reason-is-a-bigot-he-who-cannot-is-a-fool-and-he-who/) [William Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-drummond/) > [“No travel can broaden a bigoted mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/no-travel-can-broaden-a-bigoted-mind/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Excessive praise arises from the same bigotry matrix as excessive criticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/excessive-praise-arises-from-the-same-bigotry-matrix-as-excessive/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [“If the Pentateuch is inspired, the civilization of of our day is a mistake and crime. There should be no political liberty. Heresy should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/if-the-pentateuch-is-inspired-the-civilization-of-of-our-day-is-a/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [ This type of discourse in the campaign is just unwarranted. But it was started by Ms.\[Hillary\] Clinton. Ms. Clinton has started the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/this-type-of-discourse-in-the-campaign-is-just-unwarranted-but-it-was/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [My dad was such a bigot. He was a horrible, self-centred person. He was really racist and he'd talk about the Jews and blacks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/my-dad-was-such-a-bigot-he-was-a-horrible-self-centred-person-he-was/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [“Bigot: Someone who hates different people than I do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-tucker/bigot-someone-who-hates-different-people-than-i-do/) [Jerry Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-tucker/) [Browse all 119 Bigot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigot/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If a man erects any barriers at all to those he would consider his companions, he is condemned as a bigot. Modernity doesn’t want a small tribal fire contained in the center of like-minded peoples. 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