Today, the word prejudice has come to seem synonymous with bigotry; therefore the only way a person can establish freedom from bigotry is by claiming to have wiped his mind free from prejudice. English psychiatrist and writer Theodore Dalrymple shows that freeing the mind from prejudice is not only impossible, but entails intellectual, moral and emotional dishonesty. The attempt to eradicate prejudice has several dire consequences for the individual and society as a whole.
In Praise of Prejudice
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About the Author
Today Theodore Dalrymple is a psychiatrist and prison doctor who treats heroin addicts. He writes a column for the Spectator, and contributes frequently to the Daily Telegraph. He also wrote Our Culture, What's Left of It and Life at the Bottom (Ivan R. Dee).
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159 of 165 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"I know I'm prejudiced in this matter," Mark Twain once announced, quickly adding, "But I'd be ashamed of myself if I weren't." In a similar vein, Theodore Dalrymple in this clever series of short essays looks at the curious reprobative force directed in our time against such words as "prejudice," "discrimination," and "judgmental." Through his knowledge of cultural history and his excellent rhetorical skills of concession and rebuttal, Dalrymple makes wholly clear his own disassociation from any of the mean-spirited, invidious behaviors these words, used negatively, quite rightly condemn. At the same time, he shows how our wholesale abandonment of any positive connotations for such words is a failure in analysis, a classic case of throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Looking at the "thoughts" of contemporary men in the street, he sees, sadly, the unintended, distorted consequences of Descartes' and John Stuart Mill's thinking, as it has filtered down to the masses. It would appear from their defiant bumper stickers and proffered rationalizations for bad behavior that contemporary men have become largely their own carvers. Shrewdly and wittily, Dalrymple asks whether thinking out everything for ourselves each day, while rejecting the past and all authority - such modern men's apparent social "philosophy" - is, in fact, a societal ideal of any real worth, or just a ground for social deterioration. Should every person take nothing on authority to the point of daily reinventing the wheel? Should the mind of an adult be just a perpetual tabula rasa? Dalrymple thinks, in our commendable zeal not to be unduly narrow or overlook any new evidence, we may have forgotten the difference between being genuinely open-minded and being merely empty-headed. Preconceived ideas, from which many of us shy away, he sees as necessary to genuine adults, who, through education and experience, have become "fixed in principle." Consequently, they approach experience, sifting the new or presumably new, not as intellectual zeroes, but as persons "who see more because they stand on the shoulders of giants."
Looking at the "thoughts" of contemporary men in the street, he sees, sadly, the unintended, distorted consequences of Descartes' and John Stuart Mill's thinking, as it has filtered down to the masses. It would appear from their defiant bumper stickers and proffered rationalizations for bad behavior that contemporary men have become largely their own carvers. Shrewdly and wittily, Dalrymple asks whether thinking out everything for ourselves each day, while rejecting the past and all authority - such modern men's apparent social "philosophy" - is, in fact, a societal ideal of any real worth, or just a ground for social deterioration. Should every person take nothing on authority to the point of daily reinventing the wheel? Should the mind of an adult be just a perpetual tabula rasa? Dalrymple thinks, in our commendable zeal not to be unduly narrow or overlook any new evidence, we may have forgotten the difference between being genuinely open-minded and being merely empty-headed. Preconceived ideas, from which many of us shy away, he sees as necessary to genuine adults, who, through education and experience, have become "fixed in principle." Consequently, they approach experience, sifting the new or presumably new, not as intellectual zeroes, but as persons "who see more because they stand on the shoulders of giants."
122 of 127 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
In the late 1950s in high school it was for me the easily accessable "The True Believer" by Eric Hoffer. Today in my late 60' it's Theodore Dalrymple's "In Praise of Prejudice - the Necessity of Preconceived Ideas." Seldom have I seen so much wisdom in so few pages. Any three page chapter condenses the wisdom of a bookshelf of more wordy and tedious works.
And such great sentences. After a short introduction to a ten line extract from Rene Descartes, Dalrymple opens the next chapter with this marvelious sentence: "We may inquire why it is that there are now so many Descartes in the world, when in the seventeenth century there was only one." The explanation of this sentence and its consequences proceeds. The last sentence of this two page chapter goes: "Then all the resources of philosophy are available to them [skeptics] in a flash, and are used to undermine the moral authority of custom, law, and the wisdom of ages."
The book requires careful reading and attention as each sentence must be intellectually unpacked but it is worth it. So much insight and so much wisdom for so few dollars.
And such great sentences. After a short introduction to a ten line extract from Rene Descartes, Dalrymple opens the next chapter with this marvelious sentence: "We may inquire why it is that there are now so many Descartes in the world, when in the seventeenth century there was only one." The explanation of this sentence and its consequences proceeds. The last sentence of this two page chapter goes: "Then all the resources of philosophy are available to them [skeptics] in a flash, and are used to undermine the moral authority of custom, law, and the wisdom of ages."
The book requires careful reading and attention as each sentence must be intellectually unpacked but it is worth it. So much insight and so much wisdom for so few dollars.
71 of 74 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Theodore Dalrymple is probably the best essayist since George Orwell. He is always a treat to read and rarely disappoints. In IN PRAISE OF PREJUDICE, Dalrymple uses his keen wit and insight, combines it with his characteristic ability to illuminate with some of the best writing around, and focuses these on an issue long in need of some plain common sense - the issue of prejudice.
In modern America (and probably many other parts of the Western world), the term prejudice has become so ridiculously linked with a negative connotation that it takes courage simply to write a book with this title. Yet as Dalrymple demonstrates, prejudice is not only warranted in our daily lives, it is necessary. Our world is so large and complex that anyone attempting to live his life by only believing those things which he himself has proven to be true, without influence of others, i.e. without prejudice, would be too crippled to perform even the most rudimentary functions in our society.
IN PRAISE OF PREJUDICE is broken down into small chapters exploring the necessity of prejudice, the inability to truly rid oneself of it (as removing one prejudice would simply lead to a new one) and the folly of even attempting to do so. Dalrymple makes an excellent point that removing one prejudice does not, ipso facto, lead to some better outcome. Often, indeed usually, the results of abandoning prejudices lead to a worsening of some situation or another. After all, there is a good reason why prejudices in favor of our own families, against sexual promiscuity and so forth, developed in the first place.
Given this, it is, Dalrymple convincingly argues, nothing short of cruel to fail to instill various prejudices in people from an early age. From his work as a physician in a prison and a slum hospital, Dalrymple saw all too often and all too clearly the human price paid when people make their own rules without regard to what others think. It is those prejudices regarding our own behavior that makes society liveable and breaking them down does no one any favors.
Of course, Dalrymple acknowledges that some prejudices are indeed bad and have led to a great deal of turmoil. But the question is rightly what is the burden of examination. Although prejudices regarding how to live our lives must be explored, they should not be rejected wholesale. Indeed, such an attitude is itself a prejudice - one against prejudice itself.
IN PRAISE OF PREJUDICE is, like all of Dalrymple's books, extremely insightful as to its subject matter. Those who stand against prejudice usually do so with nothing more than the most superficial reasoning behind their stance. Nonetheless, such a position has become dominant in our zeitgeist. Dalrymple brings some much welcome analysis and clear thinking to the table and it is quite refreshing to read.
In modern America (and probably many other parts of the Western world), the term prejudice has become so ridiculously linked with a negative connotation that it takes courage simply to write a book with this title. Yet as Dalrymple demonstrates, prejudice is not only warranted in our daily lives, it is necessary. Our world is so large and complex that anyone attempting to live his life by only believing those things which he himself has proven to be true, without influence of others, i.e. without prejudice, would be too crippled to perform even the most rudimentary functions in our society.
IN PRAISE OF PREJUDICE is broken down into small chapters exploring the necessity of prejudice, the inability to truly rid oneself of it (as removing one prejudice would simply lead to a new one) and the folly of even attempting to do so. Dalrymple makes an excellent point that removing one prejudice does not, ipso facto, lead to some better outcome. Often, indeed usually, the results of abandoning prejudices lead to a worsening of some situation or another. After all, there is a good reason why prejudices in favor of our own families, against sexual promiscuity and so forth, developed in the first place.
Given this, it is, Dalrymple convincingly argues, nothing short of cruel to fail to instill various prejudices in people from an early age. From his work as a physician in a prison and a slum hospital, Dalrymple saw all too often and all too clearly the human price paid when people make their own rules without regard to what others think. It is those prejudices regarding our own behavior that makes society liveable and breaking them down does no one any favors.
Of course, Dalrymple acknowledges that some prejudices are indeed bad and have led to a great deal of turmoil. But the question is rightly what is the burden of examination. Although prejudices regarding how to live our lives must be explored, they should not be rejected wholesale. Indeed, such an attitude is itself a prejudice - one against prejudice itself.
IN PRAISE OF PREJUDICE is, like all of Dalrymple's books, extremely insightful as to its subject matter. Those who stand against prejudice usually do so with nothing more than the most superficial reasoning behind their stance. Nonetheless, such a position has become dominant in our zeitgeist. Dalrymple brings some much welcome analysis and clear thinking to the table and it is quite refreshing to read.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ideas and their consequences in culture
I know the title of this book is off-putting. Prejudice is a dirty word, immediately invoking images of segregated lunch counters and hooded Klansmen. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Paul A. Mastin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dalrymple turns philosopher
I have to say that Theodore Dalrymple and David Stove have become my two favorite authors in recent years. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Geoff Puterbaugh
3.0 out of 5 stars
prejudice or worldview?
This a strange little book in many ways. Dalrymple has some interesting insights about what he calls prejudices, but what might more correctly be called worldviews. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Ronald
4.0 out of 5 stars
Intelligent, thought provoking essays
I admire Theodore Dalrymple (alias Anthony Daniels, a onetime GP and world traveller). He has served for much of his life in the blighted underclass communities of Britain, which... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Sirin
5.0 out of 5 stars
In Praise of "In Praise..."
For those used to his writing and thinking from previous books or his City Journal essays/editorials, Theodore Dalrymple does not disappoint with this little volume. Read more
Published on November 23, 2010 by D Glover
1.0 out of 5 stars
Pride and prejudice
The necessity of which preconceived ideas?
Human equality?
Liberty, fraternity?
Or Dalrymple's sad and self-revelatory choices of bigotry, reaction and... Read more
Human equality?
Liberty, fraternity?
Or Dalrymple's sad and self-revelatory choices of bigotry, reaction and... Read more
Published on July 2, 2009 by William Podmore
4.0 out of 5 stars
On the Necessity of Starting Somewhere
Think of the qualities people most admire (or say they most admire). Judgmental, prejudiced, and conforming are three of the least likely to make the list. Read more
Published on June 22, 2009 by Kevin Currie-Knight
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clear and succinct
I just finished reading In Praise of Prejudice and in my opinion, it was a lucid and concise explication of my own position in the same issue. Read more
Published on February 24, 2009 by Daniel Perron
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential Reading
This is an essential book. It serves as a tonic that revives minds deadened by the stupidity that surrounds us. Read more
Published on February 20, 2009 by R. Stern
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Uber-curmudgeon has no clothes or How good thoughts can have poor...
I might as well get this part over with. My politics are far to the left of Dalrymple's (his real name is Anthony Daniels but apparently he wanted a nom de plume that sounded... Read more
Published on December 22, 2008 by greg taylor
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