Symbolic violence is violence wielded with tacit complicity between its victims and its agents, insofar as both remain unconscious of submitting to or wielding it.
Pierre BourdieuRead
Every established order tends to produce the naturalization of its own arbitrariness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Established systems often become taken for granted, obscuring their underlying biases.
In this quote, Pierre Bourdieu suggests that societies develop structures and norms that eventually appear natural and just. These inherent systems of power and control can lead people to accept arbitrary rules and norms without questioning them, highlighting the importance of critically examining the established orders in our lives.
Themes
OrderArbitrarinessSocietyPowerCritique
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on systemic injustice, this quote reminds us to question accepted norms.
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Male domination is so rooted in our collective unconscious that we no longer even see it.
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