Q0237
“Each man calls barbarism whatever is not his own custom.” — Michel de Montaigne (Essays I.31)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Essays I.31. Theme: society.
English
Each man calls barbarism whatever is not his own custom.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Essays I.31 and files it under Renaissance Humanism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Michel de Montaigne
Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592) invented the modern essay as a form of self-study, combining classical learning with skeptical inquiry into custom and certainty.
How to read this passage
Social philosophy asks how individuals and collectives constitute each other, and what justice requires of shared life. This passage enters that discussion through society.
Concepts in this quote
- Society
- Society is the web of institutions, customs, and mutual expectations in which individual freedom takes shape.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Michel de Montaigne. (n.d.). Each man calls barbarism whatever is not his own custom. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0237
MLA: Michel de Montaigne. “Each man calls barbarism whatever is not his….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0237.
Chicago: Michel de Montaigne. “Each man calls barbarism whatever is not his….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0237.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Each man calls barbarism whatever is not his…”?
The passage is attributed to Michel de Montaigne, Essays I.31. The archive attributes this English wording to Essays I.31 and files it under Renaissance Humanism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Michel de Montaigne mean by society?
Social philosophy asks how individuals and collectives constitute each other, and what justice requires of shared life. This passage enters that discussion through society.