Time & Perspective Quote by E. B. White

E. B. White lands this like a deadpan punchline, and the laugh catches in your throat because it’s true. Calling prejudice a “great time saver” borrows the language of efficiency and productivity, then uses it to indict a mental shortcut that masquerades as common sense. The line works because it treats bias not as a moral failing first, but as a consumer convenience: why waste effort learning when you can buy certainty instantly?

The subtext is an x-ray of American briskness. White wrote in a culture that prized practicality, quick decisions, and the myth of the self-evident. He flips that virtue into vice. “Form opinions” sounds like a creative act, almost artisanal; “without having to get the facts” punctures the dignity. The phrase “having to” is key: facts become a chore, an unnecessary errand, while prejudice becomes a labor-saving device. He’s not just mocking bigotry; he’s mocking the laziness and self-importance that keep it running.

Context matters, too. White lived through propaganda-heavy wars, the rise of mass media, and the hardening of political identities into brand loyalties. His satire anticipates today’s attention economy, where hot takes are rewarded and verification is treated as optional. The quote’s sting comes from its polite surface. White doesn’t shout “Stop being biased.” He offers prejudice as a perk, letting readers recognize their own temptation to skip the work and still feel “informed.” That recognition is the trapdoor.