Mary Douglas
Mary Douglas
Dame Mary Douglas, DBE, FBAwas a British anthropologist, known for her writings on human culture and symbolism, whose area of speciality was social anthropology. Douglas was considered a follower of Émile Durkheim and a proponent of structuralist analysis, with a strong interest in comparative religion...
commitment our-society lifetime
Just in our lifetime our society has become looser and more private, it becomes extremely difficult to hold to any permanent commitment whatever, least of all to organized religion.
civilization years today
I have increasingly, over the years, felt that religion today does our civilization more harm than good.
communication years progress
Every year the progress of advanced capitalist society makes our population consist of more and more isolates. This is because of the infrastructure of the economy, especially electronic communications.
hierarchy present-day
Hierarchy is is much reviled in the present day.
hierarchy environment wells
Hierarchy works well in a stable environment.
worry done recycling
It is very reasonable to worry about the harm done by organized religion, and to prefer looser and more private arrangements.
religious bazaars body
Inside a religious body you get sects and hierarchies, inside an information network you get bazaars and cathedrals, it is the same, call them what you like. They survive by pointing the finger of blame at each other.
personality shapes living-alone
I am convinced that living in an enclave shapes the personality, and living alone shapes the personality too.
jealousy believe frustration
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?
mainstream-society people rewards
I am sure it must be true that people opt out of the mainstream society because they feel that there are going to be no rewards for them, if they stay.
sweet community want
It is only partly true that religion does more harm than good in society. The community makes God into the image it wants, vengeful, or milky sweet, or scrupulously just, and so on.
jobs mobility ephemeral
Since 1970, relationships can be more volatile, jobs more ephemeral, geographical mobility more intensified, stability of marriage weaker.
strong wall black-and-white
The natural response of the old-timers is to build a strong moral wall against the outside. This is where the world starts to be painted in black and white, saints inside, and sinners outside the wall.
years two safety
Our technological infrastructure alienates us from each other. No need to form a workplace community, everybody there will be out in a year or two, and so will you, looking for a better place.