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Thomas Sowell Quotes - Page 2

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Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.

Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.

People, Important, Fabric

Thomas Sowell (2006). “Ever Wonder Why? and Other Controversial Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

If you believe in equal rights, then what do “women’s rights,” “gay rights,” etc., mean? Either they are redundant or they are violations of the principle of equal rights for all.

Believe, Mean, Gay

Not since the days of the Hitler Youth have young people been subjected to more propaganda on more politically correct issues. At one time, educators boasted that their role was not to teach students what to think but how to think. Today, their role is far too often to teach students what to think on everything from immigration to global warming to the new sacred trinity of 'race, class and gender.'

Thinking, Class, Issues

One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce, and canonized those who complain.

President, Liberty, Complaining

Thomas Sowell (2013). “Ever Wonder Why?: and Other Controversial Essays”, p.328, Hoover Press

When people get used to preferential treatment, equal treatment seems like discrimination.

Equal Treatment, People, Discrimination

One of the painful signs of years of dumbed-down education is how many people are unable to make a coherent argument. They can vent their emotions, question other people's motives, make bold assertions, repeat slogans-- anything except reason.

Education, Years, People

Thomas Sowell (2011). “Dismantling America and Other Controversial Essays (Large Print 16pt)”, p.403, ReadHowYouWant.com

The word 'racism' is like ketchup. It can be put on practically anything - and demanding evidence makes you a 'racist.'

Racism, Racist, Conservative

The reason so many people misunderstand so many issues is not that these issues are so complex, but that people do not want a factual or analytical explanation that leaves them emotionally unsatisfied. They want villains to hate and heroes to cheer - and they don't want explanations that do not give them that.

Cheer, Hate, Hero

Thomas Sowell (2011). “Dismantling America and Other Controversial Essays (Large Print 16pt)”, p.398, ReadHowYouWant.com

It is amazing how many people act as if the right to free speech includes the right to be free of criticism for what you say - which means that other people should not have the same right to free speech that they claim for themselves.

Mean, People, Criticism

I have never understood why it is "greed" to want to keep the money you have earned but not greed to want to take somebody else's money.

Money, Greed, Want

"Barbarians inside the Gates and Other Controversial Essays". Book by Thomas Sowell, 1999.

It is amazing how many people think that they can answer an argument by attributing bad motives to those who disagree with them. Using this kind of reasoning, you can believe or not believe anything about anything, without having to bother to deal with facts or logic.

Believe, Thinking, People

ANYONE who studies the history of ideas should notice how much more often people on the political left, more so than others, denigrate and demonize those who disagree with them - instead of answering their arguments.

Ideas, People, Political

There are 3 questions that would destroy most of the arguments of the Left. The first is - compared to what? The second is - at what cost? And the third is - what hard evidence do you have?

Cost, Firsts, Argument

You cannot subsidize irresponsibility and expect people to become more responsible.

People, Responsible, Irresponsibility

Thomas Sowell (1993). “Is Reality Optional?: And Other Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

In a democracy, we have always had to worry about the ignorance of the uneducated. Today we have to worry about the ignorance of people with college degrees.

Ignorance, College, People

Thomas Sowell (2011). “Dismantling America and Other Controversial Essays (Large Print 16pt)”, p.402, ReadHowYouWant.com

It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medication and a government bureaucracy to administer it.

Thinking, Doctors, Government

Thomas Sowell (2006). “Ever Wonder Why? and Other Controversial Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

Whether Barack Obama is simply incompetent as president or has some hidden agenda to undermine this country, at home and abroad, he has nearly everything he needs to ruin America, including a fool for a vice president

Country, Home, America

You cannot take any people, of any color, and exempt them from the requirements of civilization - including work, behavioral standards, personal responsibility, and all the other basic things that the clever intelligentsia disdain - without ruinous consequences to them and to society at large.

Clever, Responsibility, Color

"What Ails Baltimore? Liberalism, Corruption & Incompetence" by Jack Kelly, www.realclearpolitics.com. May 10, 2015.

The kinds of people we need in government are precisely the kinds of people who are most reluctant to go into government -- people who understand the inherent dangers of power and feel a distaste for using it, but who may do so for a few years as a civic duty. The worst kind of people to have in government are those who see it as a golden opportunity to impose their own superior wisdom and virtue on others.

Leadership, Opportunity, Government

Thomas Sowell (2013). “Controversial Essays”, p.316, Hoover Press

What 'multiculturalism' boils down to is that you can praise any culture in the world except Western culture - and you cannot blame any culture in the world except Western culture.

Western Culture, World, Blame

Thomas Sowell (2006). “Ever Wonder Why? and Other Controversial Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

Blacks were not enslaved because they were black but because they were available. Slavery has existed in the world for thousands of years. Whites enslaved other whites in Europe for centuries before the first black was brought to the Western hemisphere. Asians enslaved Europeans. Asians enslaved other Asians. Africans enslaved other Africans, and indeed even today in North Africa, blacks continue to enslave blacks.

Years, Europe, Black

Freedom is unlikely to be lost all at once and openly. It is far more likely to be eroded away, bit by bit, amid glittering promises and expressions of noble ideals.

Expression, Promise, Noble

Thomas Sowell (2001). “The Quest for Cosmic Justice”, p.184, Simon and Schuster

What is especially disturbing about the political left is that they seem to have no sense of the tragedy of the human condition. Instead, they tend to see the problems of the world as due to other people not being as wise or as noble as themselves.

Wise, People, Political

Thomas Sowell (2010). “Dismantling America: And Other Controversial Essays”, p.337, Basic Books

The fact that so many successful politicians are such shameless liars is not only a reflection on them, it is also a reflection on us. When the people want the impossible, only liars can satisfy.

Liars, Successful, Reflection

"Big Lies in Politics". townhall.com. May 22, 2012.

If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten you labeled a radical 60 years ago, a liberal 30 years ago and a racist today.

Years, Play, Political

Thomas Sowell (2013). “Controversial Essays”, p.322, Hoover Press

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