--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Superstition, bigotry and prejudice…" description: "\"Superstition, bigotry and prejudice, ghosts though they are, cling tenaciously to life; they are shades armed with tooth and claw. They must be grapple..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/victor-hugo-32_atheism_superstition-bigotry-and-prejudice-ghost_3206797.jpg" --- # Superstition, bigotry and prejudice, ghosts though they… ![“Superstition, bigotry and prejudice, ghosts though they are, cling tenaciously to life; they are shades armed with tooth and claw. They must be grappled with unceasingly, for it is a fateful part of human destiny that it is condemned to wage perpetual war against ghosts. A shade is not easily…” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/victor-hugo-32_atheism_superstition-bigotry-and-prejudice-ghost_3206797.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/victor-hugo-32_atheism_superstition-bigotry-and-prejudice-ghost_3206797.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/victor-hugo-32_atheism_superstition-bigotry-and-prejudice-ghost_3206797.jpg) > “Superstition, bigotry and prejudice, ghosts though they are, cling tenaciously to life; they are shades armed with tooth and claw. They must be grappled with unceasingly, for it is a fateful part of human destiny that it is condemned to wage perpetual war against ghosts. A shade is not easily taken by the throat and destroyed.” [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prejudice and superstition persist like ghosts, requiring constant effort to confront and overcome as **In simple terms:** Prejudice persists like ghosts, needing constant fight. Key Takeaway Continuously challenge bias. Themes prejudice superstition human nature conflict destiny Mood determined reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - social activism - education reform - personal introspection - community dialogue Key Concepts psychology social dynamics mythical metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What biases haunt your daily life? - How can you sustain the fight against them? A Different Perspective Even relentless effort may not eradicate deep‑rooted bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Bigotry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigotry/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) [Ghosts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghosts/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Perpetual war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perpetual-war/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Shade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shade/) [Superstitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstitions/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [There are, however, some potentates I would kill by any and all means at my disposal. They are Ignorance, Superstition, and Bigotry — the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/there-are-however-some-potentates-i-would-kill-by-any-and-all-means/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [ ...he \[Muhammad\] declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind...The precept of the Koran is,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/he-muhammad-declared-undistinguishing-and-exterminating-war-as-a-part/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [ There is a concerted effort to keep you and me, you know, the people, away from what it \[war\] really looks like, 'cause when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/there-is-a-concerted-effort-to-keep-you-and-me-you-know-the-people/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Actually we're very lucky John McCain is not in charge because I think we would be in perpetual war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/actually-we-re-very-lucky-john-mccain-is-not-in-charge-because-i/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I am sorry the infernal Divinities, who visit mankind with diseases, and are therefore at perpetual war with Doctors, should have prevented my seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erasmus-darwin/i-am-sorry-the-infernal-divinities-who-visit-mankind-with-diseases/) [Erasmus Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erasmus-darwin/) > [We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-the-people-still-believe-that-enduring-security-and-lasting-peace/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [This is a racist and imperialist war. 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Bacevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-j-bacevich/) > [I started writing 'God's War' knowing that I wanted to write about real people on a resource-strapped planet at perpetual war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kameron-hurley/i-started-writing-god-s-war-knowing-that-i-wanted-to-write-about-real/) [Kameron Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kameron-hurley/) > [It was with the last revolution and the coming of INGSOC (Inglish/English Socialism) that the latest High learnt how to keep their position permanently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/it-was-with-the-last-revolution-and-the-coming-of-ingsoc-inglish/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [The catch-all phrase "the war on terrorism", in all honesty, has no more meaning than if one wants to wage a war against "criminal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-catch-all-phrase-the-war-on-terrorism-in-all-honesty-has-no-more/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“That's Catholicism for you. A perpetual war between repression and excess.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/that-s-catholicism-for-you-a-perpetual-war-between-repression-and/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [So basically America, they are the Knights Templars of, and they've taken us into, perpetual war - that's their game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bez/so-basically-america-they-are-the-knights-templars-of-and-they-ve/) [Bez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bez/) > [War is to man what maternity is to a woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/war-is-to-man-what-maternity-is-to-a-woman/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) ## More by Victor Hugo > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“First I loved women, then animals, and now I love stones. 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She did not know whether it was good or evil, beneficent or dangerous, necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/loving-in-ignorance-she-loved-with-all-the-more-passion-she-did-not/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/laughter-is-the-sun-that-drives-winter-from-the-human-face/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Our joys have shadows. The perfect smile belongs to God alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/our-joys-have-shadows-the-perfect-smile-belongs-to-god-alone/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“When those we love are in question, our prudence invents every sort of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/when-those-we-love-are-in-question-our-prudence-invents-every-sort-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Love is a fault; so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-is-a-fault-so-be-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Explore all 2,181 Victor Hugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. 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