Random stuff I find interesting and you may not.
Sowell has an amazing ability to communicate timeless truths succinctly. Economics is often referred to as “the dismal science,” but few have done more in history to help its reputation than Thomas Sowell. The 92-year-old economist has authored more than 45 books, including bestsellers such as Basic Economics, Black Rednecks and White Liberals, and Economic … Read more
Facts about slavery never mentioned in school | Thomas Sowell Slavery cannot be justified or excused by enlightened people, but it can be studied, explained, put in context, and understood—if all the facts of it are in the equation. In “Recognizing Hard Truths About America’s History With Slavery,” published by FEE on February … Read more
A walk through some of the legendary economist’s most quotable lines. Few social scientists are able to distill their thoughts into such punchy lines as Thomas Sowell, the great economist whose ideas are celebrated in Jason L. Riley’s inspiring book Maverick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell. Among Sowell’s many quotable remarks: “I’ve studiously avoided entanglements … Read more
Angelo Codevilla, who died recently, was an eloquent essayist. A favorite of many people is his 2010 essay on America’s Ruling Class. while most of the voters who call themselves Democrats say that Democratic officials represent them well, only a fourth of the voters who identify themselves as Republicans tell pollsters that Republican officeholders represent … Read more
As Hannah Arendt has pointed out, transforming questions of fact of fact into questions of intent has been the great achievement of twentieth century totalitarians. It is a dangerous achievement that has survived the collapse of both fascist and Communist empires and has become a hallmark of much of the Western intelligentsia. Thomas Sowell, “The … Read more
Those who criticize the existing ‘distribution’ of income in the United States are criticizing the statistical results of systemic processes. They are not even discussing the economic face of flesh and blood human beings, for the economic positions of given individuals vary greatly within a relatively few years. What is really being said is that … Read more
Everyone is a “progressive” by his own lights. That the anointed believe that this label distinguishes themselves from other people is one of a number of symptoms of their narcissism. From page 95 of Thomas Sowell’s great 1995 work, “The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy” Related PostsWhat Rental Hyperinflation … Read more
To say that my relationship with editors has not always been a happy one would be to completely understate the situation. To me, the fact that I have never killed an editor is proof that the death penalty deters. Thomas Sowell, Some thoughts about writing, Hoover Digest, April 27, 2001 EDITOR, n. A person who … Read more
Black intellectuals who refuse to subscribe to the liberal consensus on race have been belittled, insulted and ignored by a predominantly white left wing elite William F. Buckley once said that Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams should never be on the same flight because if the plane went down it would mean the death of … Read more
In Africa, slavery endures 158 years after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, 188 years after the British abolished slavery, and 165 years since John Speke set out to find the source of the Nile. Africa’s “bigger slave problem” is more of a pressing concern than reparations in the United States. . . . Leftist Democrats, so … Read more
We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. Thomas Sowell Related PostsMalice is ever complex and paranoid. Free Speech – Chesterton “When I forgive someone, it is an act of hope.” Optimism and Hope … Read more
At 90 years of age, Sowell remains among the most prolific, influential, and penetrating minds of the past century. He understands the world in terms of trade-offs, incentives, constraints, systemic processes, feedback mechanisms, and human capital, an understanding developed by scrutinizing available data, considering human experience, and applying robust common sense. Sowell has written over … Read more
Thomas Sowell: Common Sense in a Senseless World – Full Video Joe Biden says he’ll “advance racial equity” by making “bold investments” in “Affordable Housing,” aiding “businesses owned by Black and Brown people,” establishing an “Equity Commission,” etc. Gosh, that’ll do it. Others demand reparations for slavery, more social programs, and defunding the … Read more
Thomas Sowell vs The Left Related PostsYou Didn’t Build That Planned Parenthood Is Not a Health Care Provider Joe Biden daydreams about civil rights The Demons Have Taken Hold of Minneapolis Joe Biden and the crisis of the New World
Thomas Sowell on White Liberals “Many white liberals have adopted blacks as mascots, in order to ‘make a statement’ against American society. But mascots are only symbols, and their well-being is seldom a top priority.” Thomas Sowell Related PostsBLM’s Goal of Disrupting the Nuclear Family Is a Century Old Marxist Goal Administrative Bloat … Read more
Their willingness to put children last and fight to keep schools closed has proven once and for all that teachers’ unions do not, in fact, have kids’ best interests at heart. One of the first things we learned about the coronavirus is that it has a near-zero death rate for kids. We also soon found … Read more
Somewhere Winston Churchill said that all wisdom is not new wisdom. That is certainly true of Edward C. Banfield’s landmark book, The Unheavenly City, published 50 years ago. Many, if not most, of the people discussing urban problems today have not yet caught up to what Banfield said half a century ago. Education is a … Read more
The racism racket is just a variation on the tired and inimical practice of inventing programs to pour money on alleged victim groups, distracting us from paying attention to the Ten Commandments and proclaiming the Gospel. The USCCB opposes racism. “The Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism seeks to teach about and to witness to the … Read more
The redoubtable Thomas Sowell also is an inspiration. He tweeted this morsel of clarity [June 11, 2020]: “Have we reached the ultimate stage of absurdity where some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born, while other people are not held responsible for what they themselves are doing today?” Thomas Sowell … Read more