Thomas Carlyle Quotes

A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.

The common notions that we find in credit around us and infused into our souls by our fathers' seed, these seem to be the universal and natural ones. Whence it comes to pass that what is off the hinges of custom, people believe to be off the hinges of reason.

Custom is the plague of wise men and the idol of fools.

The herd of mankind can hardly be said to think; their notions are almost all adoptive; and, in general, I believe it is better that it should be so; as such common prejudices contribute more to order and quiet, than their own separate reasonings would do, uncultivated and unimproved as they are.

Without the aid of prejudice and custom, I should not be able to find my way across the room.

Custom is our nature. What are our natural principles but principles of custom?

Any stigma, as the old saying is, will serve to beat a dogma.

Human beings never think for themselves; they find it too uncomfortable. For the most part, members of our species simply repeat what they are told - and become upset if they are exposed to any different view.

Mankind are apt to be strongly prejudiced in favor of whatever is countenanced by antiquity, enforced by authority, and recommended by custom.

I think religion is a bunch of hooey, and I think that the holidays are an opportunity for people to get stressed out, getting their rush to shop. It's so conformist.

Any stigma will do to beat a dogma.

People usually think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and ingrained opinions, but generally act according to custom.

For those who do not think, it is best at least to rearrange their prejudices once in a while.

Cut loose from the weight of prejudices, traditions, and customs.

When a man is required to believe certain doctrines, he is not free to think. A creed is to keep the mind from inquiry. Questions lead to doubt, and doubt is the death of faith.

New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common

We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts appeared before us, startled us, and then caused us to question beliefs that were strongly fixed in our consciousness-embedded there by years of family prejudices, orthodox schooling, imbibing of newspapers, radio, and television.

In religion and politics people’s beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing.

All of us, whether we are ignorant of philosophy or professors of philosophy, find it easier to follow dogma than to think.

People tend not to want to question dogma. But I'm afraid of dogma.

Custom is often only the antiquity of error.

Habit with him was all the test of truth; It must be right: I've done it from my youth.

Men talk of freedom! How many are free to think? Free from fear, from perturbation, from prejudice? Nine hundred and ninety-nine in a thousand are perfect slaves.

In unanimity there may well be either cowardice or uncritical thinking.