Intellectuals and Soceity - Thomas Sowell

[The2ndAmendment]

I consider this book to be the MOST IMPORTANT piece of literature ever written.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Intellectuals-Society-Revised-Expanded-Edition/dp/0465025226]Intellectuals and Society: Revised and Expanded Edition: Thomas Sowell: 9780465025220: Amazon.com: Books[/ame]

 

[wavingrl]

certainly is true.

<Intellectuals and Society is a 2010 book by Thomas Sowell. It examines the influence of intellectuals in society. Intellectuals are defined as "idea workers" that exercise profound influence on policy makers and public opinion, but too often are not accountable for results. Intellectuals and Society examines the actual track record of these idea workers and the conditions, methods and incentives that drive their visions- visions that have often spelt disaster for societies where intellectuals have been allowed undue influence.

According to Sowell:
"Those whose careers are built on the creation and dissemination of ideas — the intellectuals — have played a role in many societies out of all proportion to their numbers. Whether that role has, on balance, made those around them better off or worse off is one of the key questions of our times. The quick answer is that intellectuals have done both. But certainly, during the 20th century, it is hard to escape the conclusion that intellectuals have on balance made the world a worse and more dangerous place. Scarcely a mass-murdering dictator of the 20th century was without his supporters, admirers, or apologists among the leading intellectuals — not only within his own country, but in foreign democracies, where intellectuals were free to say whatever they wanted. ..intellectuals are people whose end products are intangible ideas, and they are usually judged by whether those ideas sound good to other intellectuals or resonate with the public. Whether their ideas turn out to work — whether they make life better or worse for others — is another question entirely."[2]>

lol--the irony--Sowell, himself, might be considered an intellectual. He has good ideas--jmo.

Certain that he is referencing a different group. ? Thoreau et al?--philosophers.

Pick and choose-we have to pick and choose.

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Charles Shultz/Peanuts--might have to go on my list of authors to read over and over again.