--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Natural affection is a prejudice; for…" description: "\"Natural affection is a prejudice; for though we have cause to love our nearest connections better than others, we have no reason to think them better t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/william-hazlitt-326_affection_natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-tho_2058565.png" --- # Natural affection is a prejudice; for though we have cause… ![“Natural affection is a prejudice; for though we have cause to love our nearest connections better than others, we have no reason to think them better than others.” quote by William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/william-hazlitt-326_affection_natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-tho_2058565.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/william-hazlitt-326_affection_natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-tho_2058565.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/william-hazlitt-326_affection_natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-tho_2058565.png) > “Natural affection is a prejudice; for though we have cause to love our nearest connections better than others, we have no reason to think them better than others.” [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We tend to favor those close to us, but that bias doesn't justify thinking they're superior overall. **In simple terms:** Close ties create bias, not superiority. Key Takeaway Recognize and check favoritism. Themes bias family ethics Mood reflective critical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - friendship decisions - workplace hiring - family dynamics Key Concepts social psychology morality Questions to Reflect On - Do you treat close ones differently? - How can you ensure fairness? A Different Perspective Bias can blind us to merit in others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Affection Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection-prejudice-3916073/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-affection-2272713/) [No reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-reason/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Prejudice Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice-cause-2383860/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [There is no doubt that religious fanatics have done more to prejudice the cause they affect to advocate than have its opponents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/there-is-no-doubt-that-religious-fanatics-have-done-more-to-prejudice/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Remember your natural affection for all of creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/remember-your-natural-affection-for-all-of-creation/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [There is something in natural affection which will lead it on to eternal love more easily than natural appetite could be led on. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-something-in-natural-affection-which-will-lead-it-on-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I look for three things. Number One is does the film promote the beauty and dignity of the human person? Number Two is does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-jones/i-look-for-three-things-number-one-is-does-the-film-promote-the/) [Jason Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-jones/) > [“It is natural to care for those who have cared for us, but at the point a man has been dead a hundred years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-gibbs/it-is-natural-to-care-for-those-who-have-cared-for-us-but-at-the/) [Joshua Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-gibbs/) > [“The same mistake presents itself to me, in one shape or other, at every turn,' said brother Charles. 'Parents who never showed their love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-same-mistake-presents-itself-to-me-in-one-shape-or-other-at-every/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Why do we love our grandparents so much? Part of the reason I think has to do with the tremendous natural affection and affinity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-scott/why-do-we-love-our-grandparents-so-much-part-of-the-reason-i-think/) [Willard Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-scott/) > [“Natural affection is one thing,” said Miss Ramsbottom, “and I hope I’ve got as much of it as anyone. But I won’t stand for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/natural-affection-is-one-thing-said-miss-ramsbottom-and-i-hope-i-ve/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [In the cosmology behind psychology, there is no reason for anyone to be here or to do anything... I'am an accident - a result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/in-the-cosmology-behind-psychology-there-is-no-reason-for-anyone-to/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Prejudice is the child of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/prejudice-is-the-child-of-ignorance/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [There is no reason not to consider the world as one gigantic painting,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/there-is-no-reason-not-to-consider-the-world-as-one-gigantic-painting/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [There is no reason why one should believe you should leave out politicians in cricket or any sport for that matter. There are ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roosevelt-skerrit/there-is-no-reason-why-one-should-believe-you-should-leave-out/) [Roosevelt Skerrit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roosevelt-skerrit/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) ## More by William Hazlitt > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-art-of-life-is-to-know-how-to-enjoy-a-little-and-to-endure-very/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for the motive than the quantum of favor received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-thankful-for-good-will-rather-than-for-services-for-the-motive/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The discussing the characters and foibles of common friends is a great sweetness and cement of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-discussing-the-characters-and-foibles-of-common-friends-is-a/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Want of principle is power. Truth and honesty set a limit to our efforts, which impudence and hypocrisy easily overleap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/want-of-principle-is-power-truth-and-honesty-set-a-limit-to-our/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Repose is as necessary in conversation as in a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/repose-is-as-necessary-in-conversation-as-in-a-picture/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [No act terminating in itself constitutes greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/no-act-terminating-in-itself-constitutes-greatness/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Vice is man's nature: virtue is a habit--or a mask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/vice-is-man-s-nature-virtue-is-a-habit-or-a-mask/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-never-do-anything-well-till-we-cease-to-think-about-the-manner/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/man-is-the-only-animal-that-laughs-and-weeps-for-he-is-the-only/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Those who have had none of the cares of this life to harass and disturb them, have been obliged to have recourse to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/those-who-have-had-none-of-the-cares-of-this-life-to-harass-and/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-despicable-but-takes-an/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are not satisfied to be right, unless we can prove others to be quite wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-not-satisfied-to-be-right-unless-we-can-prove-others-to-be/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The world judge of men by their ability in their profession, and we judge of ourselves by the same test: for it is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-world-judge-of-men-by-their-ability-in-their-profession-and-we/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The best part of our lives we pass in counting on what is to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-best-part-of-our-lives-we-pass-in-counting-on-what-is-to-come/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) [Explore all 671 William Hazlitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## More Affection quotes > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/it-is-to-build-a-house-with-affection-even-as-if-your-beloved-were-to/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Natural affection is a prejudice; for though we have cause to love our nearest connections better than others, we have no reason to think them better than others.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Hazlitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-though-we-have-cause-to-love-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affection" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-though-we-have-cause-to-love-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/william-hazlitt-326_affection_natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-tho_2058565.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/william-hazlitt-326_affection_natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-tho_2058565.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/william-hazlitt-326_affection_natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-tho_2058565.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Natural affection is a prejudice; for though we have cause to love our nearest connections better than…” — William Hazlitt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Hazlitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Natural affection is a prejudice; for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-though-we-have-cause-to-love-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/natural-affection-is-a-prejudice-for-though-we-have-cause-to-love-our/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```