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Thomas Sowell Quotes - Page 9

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Someone once said that the most important knowledge is knowledge of our own ignorance. Our schools are depriving millions of students of that kind of knowledge by promoting self-esteem and encouraging them to have

Someone once said that the most important knowledge is knowledge of our own ignorance. Our schools are depriving millions of students of that kind of knowledge by promoting "self-esteem" and encouraging them to have opinions on things of which they are grossly ignorant, if not misinformed.

Education, Self Esteem, School

Extrapolations are the last refuge of a groundless argument.

Lasts, Argument, Refuge

Thomas Sowell (1995). “The Vision of the Anointed: Self-congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy”, p.68, Basic Books

During the 1930s, some of the leading intellectuals in America condemned our economic system and pointed to the centrally planned Soviet economy as a model -- all this at a time when literally millions of people were starving to death in the Soviet Union, from a famine in a country with some of the richest farmland in Europe and historically a large exporter of food.

Country, Europe, America

Thomas Sowell (2011). “Dismantling America and Other Controversial Essays (Large Print 16pt)”, p.306, ReadHowYouWant.com

The difference between a policy and a crusade is that a policy is judged by its results, while a crusade is judged by how good it makes its crusaders feel.

War, Differences, Drug

By the end of the 20th century, "liberals" had again discredited themselves, to the point where they went back to calling themselves "progressives" to escape their past, much as people do when they declare bankruptcy.

Past, People, Calling

People who refuse to accept unpleasant truths have no right to complain about politicians who lie to them. What other kind of candidates would such people elect?

Lying, People, Complaining

People who have time on their hands will inevitably waste the time of people who have work to do.

Time, Business, Hands

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

The curse of the intelligentsia is their ability to rationalize and re-define. Ordinary people, lacking that gift, are forced to face reality.

Reality, People, Ordinary

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

[Con] men have long known . . . that their job is not to convince skeptics but to enable the gullible to continue to believe what they want to believe.

Jobs, Believe, Men

We are... living in a free society without the faith that built that society - and without the conviction and dedication needed to sustain it... We still have the cathedral of freedom but how long will it last without the faith?

Dedication, Long, Lasts

Some of the people on death row today might not be there if the courts had not been so lenient on them when they were first offenders.

People, Might, Today

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

People used to say, "Ignorance is no excuse." Today, ignorance is no problem. After all, you have "a right to your own opinion" - and self-esteem to boot.

Self Esteem, Ignorance, People

Liberals have been driven to the desperate expedient of attributing . . .social pathology in today's ghettos to 'a legacy of slavery' even though black children grew up with two parents more often under slavery than today.

Children, Ghetto, Two

Whether as a radical student, a community organizer or a far left politician, Barack Obama's ideology has been based on a vision of the Haves versus the Have Nots. . .Obama's ideology is an ideology of envy, resentment, and payback.

Envy, Community, Vision

Although much of the media have their antennae out to pick up anything that might be construed as racism against blacks, they resolutely ignore even the most blatant racism by blacks against others.

Media, Racism, Might

Our schools and colleges are turning out people who cannot feel fulfilled unless they are telling other people what to do.

School, College, People

The big divide in this country is not between Democrats and Republicans, or women and men, but between talkers and doers. Think about the things that have improved our lives the most over the past century - medical advances, the transportation revolution, huge increases in consumer goods, dramatic improvements in housing, the computer. The people who created these things - the doers - are not popular heroes. Our heroes are the talkers who complain about the doers.

Country, Hero, Past

Thomas Sowell (2013). “Ever Wonder Why?: and Other Controversial Essays”, p.204, Hoover Press

The poor are the very lifeblood of the left, attracting activists, supporting among the intelligentsia, and - perhaps most important - allowing the left to indulge in self-congratulation as people who 'care.' But, if they really cared, they would want to know what the facts are and what the actual consequences of their various nostrums are.

Congratulations, Self, Indulge In

Failure is a big part of a free market's success. People fail to live up to their potential, or to carry out all their good intentions, in all kinds of economic and political systems. Capitalism makes them pay a price for their failures, while socialism, feudalism, fascism and other systems enable personal failures, especially by those at the top, to be ignored.

People, Political, Pay

It doesnt matter what you do if you dont do what matters. If you do what matters it doesnt matter what you do.

What Matters, Matter, Morality

Capitalism is not an 'ism.' It is closer to being the opposite of an 'ism,' because it is simply the freedom of ordinary people to make whatever economic transactions they can mutually agree to.

Opposites, People, Liberty

The promotion of "self-esteem" in our schools has been so successful that people feel free to spout off about all sorts of things - and see no reason why their opinions should not be taken as seriously as the views of people who actually know what they are talking about.

Self Esteem, Taken, School

Thomas Sowell (2002). “Controversial Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

Socialism is a wonderful idea. It is only as a reality that it has been disastrous. Among people of every race, color, and creed, all around the world, socialism has led to hunger in countries that used to have surplus food to export.... Nevertheless, for many of those who deal primarily in ideas, socialism remains an attractive idea -- in fact, seductive. Its every failure is explained away as due to the inadequacies of particular leaders.

Country, Reality, Race

People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything.

Leadership, Teamwork, Live Life

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

People who think that they are being 'exploited' should ask themselves whether they would be missed if they left, or whether people would say: 'Good riddance?'

Thinking, People, Would Be

"Random Thoughts". www.jewishworldreview.com. April 29, 2002.

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