Mary Douglas Quotes

It seems true that the growth of science and secularism made organized Christianity feel under threat.

~ Mary Douglas

Inequality can have a bad downside, but equality, for its part, sure does get in the way of coordination.

~ Mary Douglas

Real equality is immensely difficult to achieve, it needs continual revision and monitoring of distributions. And it does not provide buffers between members, so they are continually colliding or frustrating each other.

~ Mary Douglas

Mormons... are so strong, they can handle wealth, they are confident. I think it is because they are not bogged down by rules for equality, but have a firmly defined system of relative status and responsible command.

~ Mary Douglas

If people want to compete for leadership of a religious group, they can compete in piety. A chilling thought. Or funny.

~ Mary Douglas

Religion can make it worse. Are you supposing that if people were encouraged to believe in a transcendent reality, and to be encouraged by grand rituals and music and preaching, to love their neighbors, then they would put jealousy and frustration aside?

~ Mary Douglas

If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization.

~ Mary Douglas

I am convinced that living in an enclave shapes the personality, and living alone shapes the personality too.

~ Mary Douglas