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Thomas Sowell Quotes - Page 7

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The vision of the anointed is one in which ills as poverty, irresponsible sex, and crime derive primarily from 'society,' rather than from individual choices and behavior. To believe in personal responsibility would be

The vision of the anointed is one in which ills as poverty, irresponsible sex, and crime derive primarily from 'society,' rather than from individual choices and behavior. To believe in personal responsibility would be to destroy the whole special role of the anointed, whose vision casts them in the role of rescuers of people treated unfairly by 'society'.

Sex, Believe, Responsibility

Thomas Sowell (1995). “The Vision of the Anointed: Self-congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy”, Basic Books

One of the consequences of such notions as ‘entitlements’ is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that society owes them something, apparently just for being nice enough to grace us with their presence.

Nice, People, Grace

'Global warming' is just the latest in a long line of hysterical crusades to which we seem to be increasingly susceptible.

Long, Lines, Global Warming

"Global Warming Swindle". www.creators.com. March 14, 2007.

Progress in general seems to hold little interest for people who call themselves 'progressives.' What arouses them are denunciations of social failures and accusations of wrong-doing.

People, Progress, Littles

Thomas Sowell (2011). “Dismantling America and Other Controversial Essays (Large Print 16pt)”, p.270, ReadHowYouWant.com

One of the common failings among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some other people can be, and how dangerous it is to trust them.

Trust, Failure, People

It doesn't matter how smart you are unless you stop and think.

Smart, Science, Thinking

I'm so old that I can remember when most of the people promoting race hate were white.

Hate, Race, White

Talkers are usually more articulate than doers, since talk is their specialty.

Doers, Talkers, Specialty

Thomas Sowell (2013). “Ever Wonder Why?: and Other Controversial Essays”, p.206, Hoover Press

In this era of political correctness, some people seem unaware that being squeamish about words can mean being blind to realities.

Mean, Reality, People

Welfare states on both sides of the Atlantic have discovered that largesse to losers does not reduce their hostility to society, but only increases it. Far from producing gratitude, generosity is seen as an admission of guilt, and the reparations as inadequate compensations for injustices - leading to worsening behavior by the recipients.

Gratitude, Generosity, Guilt

The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white - who find in that paranoid vision an excuse for counterproductive and ultimately self-destructive attitudes and behavior.

Attitude, Self, White

There are no solutions; there are only trade-offs.

Conservative, Trade, Trade Offs

"David Mamet launches tirade against 'antisemitism' of British writers" by Vanessa Thorpe, www.theguardian.com. June 11, 2011.

Life does not ask what we want. It presents us with options

Want, Doe, Asks

Thomas Sowell (2010). “Basic Economics 4th Ed: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy”, p.7, Basic Books

Apparently the only people who are supposed to be responsible are the taxpayers - and they are increasingly made responsible for other people's irresponsibility.

People, Responsible, Made

"Ho Ho Hill" by Thomas Sowell, www.nationalreview.com. January 2, 2008.

All statements are true, if you are free to redefine their terms.

Science, Statistics, Term

Thomas Sowell (1995). “The Vision of the Anointed: Self-congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy”, p.102, Basic Books

It is truly a triumph of rhetoric over reality when people can believe that going into politics is 'public service,' but that producing food, shelter, transportation, or medical care is not.

Believe, Reality, People

Credentialed ignorance is still ignorance.

Ignorance, Stills

Someone once said that many bad policies are just good policies that have been carried too far. For example, we have taken tolerance to such an extreme that we tolerate the immigration into our country of millions of intolerant people who hate millions of Americans who are already here.

Country, Hate, Taken

If we spend our time with regrets over yesterday, and worries over what might happen tomorrow, we have no today in which to live.

Regret, Yesterday, Worry

Why is history important? Without history, many people have no idea how many of today's half-baked ideas have been tried, again and again - and have repeatedly led to disaster. Most of these ideas are not new. They are just being recycled with re-treaded rhetoric.

Ideas, People, Liberty

Envy is always referred to by its political alias, 'social justice.

Envy, Justice, Political

Thomas Sowell (2011). “Dismantling America and Other Controversial Essays (Large Print 16pt)”, p.44, ReadHowYouWant.com

People who pride themselves on their "complexity" and deride others for being "simplistic" should realize that the truth is often not very complicated. What gets complex is evading the truth.

Pride, People, Realizing

Has Obama ever grown even a potted plant, much less a business, a bank, a hospital or any of the numerous other institutions whose decisions he wants to control and override? But he can talk glibly about growing the economy. Arrogance is no substitute for experience. That is why the country is in the mess it is in now.

Country, Decision, Arrogance

"Thomas Sowell: Jobs speech insulted our intelligence" by Thomas Sowell, www.ocregister.com. September 13, 2011.

Lofty talk about 'social justice' or 'fairness' boils down to greatly expanded powers for politicians, since those pretty words have no concrete definition. They are a blank check for creating disparities in power that dwarf disparities in income - and are far more dangerous.

Dwarves, Creating, Justice

When I was teaching at an institution that bent over backward for foreign students, I was asked in class one day: "What is your policy toward foreign students?" My reply was: "To me, all students are the same. I treat them all the same and hold them all to the same standards." The next semester there was an organized boycott of my classes by foreign students. When people get used to preferential treatment, equal treatment seems like discrimination.

Teaching, Class, Equal Treatment

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