Thomas Sowell on talking

The most fundamental fact about the ideas of the political left is that they do not work. Therefore we should not be surprised to find the left concentrated in institutions where ideas do not have to work in order to survive.

I have always been offended by the song that says, ‘Everything is beautiful in its own way.’ If everything is beautiful, then the word ‘beautiful’ has no meaning. If everything were purple, there would be no word ‘purple’ in the language because it would not distinguish one thing from another.

Much of the social history of the Western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good.

A great many of those who ‘debunk’ traditional…values have in the background values of their own which they believe to be immune from the debunking process.

C. S. Lewis1898–1963The Abolition of Man

• Debate

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

Mark Twain1835–1910

If A is a success in life, than A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.

Albert Einstein1879–1955

• Success