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Intellectuals and Society
The influence of intellectuals is not only greater than in previous eras but also takes a very different form from that envisioned by those like Machiavelli and others who have wanted to directly influence rulers. It has not been by shaping the opinions or directing the actions of the holders of power that modern intellectuals have most influenced the course of events, but...more
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Some of the criticism I've encountered accuse Sowell of being the very thing he is criticizing here. I disagree. Sowell uses FACTS and history to demonstate his thesis about the destructive role intellectuals have played. He quotes intellectuals from a variety of spectrums and times in history to support his ideas. This should be required reading for everyone in this media-infested country. We need to WAKE UP in this country. We've forgotten lessons of history and we are lulled into apathy...more
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This is a strange book. It's an intellectual speaking out against his profession. Sowell defines intellectuals as a people for whom ideas are the beginning and ending of their work. Tenured professors are the most ready example, but intellectuals can also be found outside academia. For example authors, commentators and public speakers who are paid to continue producing ideas. The key is that intellectuals need only continue to attract an audience for their ideas in order to remain relevant.
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Интелектуалците са хората, чийто начален и краен продукт са идеи - идеи, които нямат връзка с практиката и за своята оценка зависят не от обективни критерии, а само от мнението на други интелектуалци. Такива области са философията, литературата (и изкуството като цяло), социологията, политологията и др.
Най-характерното за хората с тези професии е, че като цяло тяхната дейност няма никакъв практически измерител. За разлика от другите професии на ума (инженери, лекари, учени, програми...more
Най-характерното за хората с тези професии е, че като цяло тяхната дейност няма никакъв практически измерител. За разлика от другите професии на ума (инженери, лекари, учени, програми...more
Though I've read a number of excellent new non-fiction releases in the past couple years, this one beats them all. Not only that, it'll likely be the most fascinating, disturbing, and brilliant thing I read all year.
Sowell lays out a beautifully researched case for his theme of elitist intellectuals in the West constantly attempting to subvert democracy in favor of oligarchy. Sowell defines intellectuals as professionals who live by ideas, whose end product is abstract and often id...more
Sowell lays out a beautifully researched case for his theme of elitist intellectuals in the West constantly attempting to subvert democracy in favor of oligarchy. Sowell defines intellectuals as professionals who live by ideas, whose end product is abstract and often id...more
Didn't get into it as his right-leaning slant was extremely obvious. Even how he defined intellectuals seemed designed to exclude all but humanities professors. When he wrote that financiers paid for their mistakes, that was the deal-breaker. Yeah right. And how many Wall St. financiers do you know who are arguing for change so that their decimation of our economy doesn't happen again. Or how many CEOs of failed companies are hired by other companies (after they get their golden parachute)? ...more
Again, Thomas Sowell does not come up short. His attack on intellectuals is well structured and thoughtful. Contrarian on every page, Dr. Sowell shows a different side to policy issues. While most people think of anti-intellectuals as anti-intelligence, Thomas Sowell is clear to make a distinction. Intellectuals have a career where their final products are ideas, often without outside validation beyond their colleagues. Engineers are generally not intellectuals even though they deal with intelle...more
Highly recommend. This is an important book.
Amazon:
The influence of intellectuals is not only greater than in previous eras but also takes a very different form from that envisioned by those like Machiavelli and others who have wanted to directly influence rulers. It has not been by shaping the opinions or directing the actions of the holders of power that modern intellectuals have most influenced the course of events, but by shaping public opinion in ways that affect the acti...more
Amazon:
The influence of intellectuals is not only greater than in previous eras but also takes a very different form from that envisioned by those like Machiavelli and others who have wanted to directly influence rulers. It has not been by shaping the opinions or directing the actions of the holders of power that modern intellectuals have most influenced the course of events, but by shaping public opinion in ways that affect the acti...more
This book builds on the framework provided by "A Conflict of Visions" and other books to present a stark picture of what some intellectual movements have left in their wake.
An intellectual is defined in this book to be an individual whose work begins and ends with ideas. There is also an important group around them propagating the ideas of the intellectuals. The bulk of the book discussing intellectual effects on knowledge, economics, social visions, law, war and society. Problem...more
An intellectual is defined in this book to be an individual whose work begins and ends with ideas. There is also an important group around them propagating the ideas of the intellectuals. The bulk of the book discussing intellectual effects on knowledge, economics, social visions, law, war and society. Problem...more
Never tire of Sowell, even though some material is reminiscent of past books. The main point is that the problem with intellectuals (as opposed to others that do "brainwork"...doctors, engineers, etc.) is that intellectuals are never held accountable for their damaging ideas.
Also thoroughly enjoyed the chapter on intellectuals and the ways they historically sabatoge war efforts, a topic I have not heard/read him address previously.
I have to admit that I also thorou...more
Also thoroughly enjoyed the chapter on intellectuals and the ways they historically sabatoge war efforts, a topic I have not heard/read him address previously.
I have to admit that I also thorou...more
This is perhaps the finest literary societal critique I have ever read. In a masterful display of powerful analytic thought, well-researched fact, and effectively no bias towards any particular group, Sowell tears into the intellectual foundations of our society and reveals just how cancerous they have become. This book was by no means a simple and quick read. It is incredibly thorough in its background research and it is beautifully written. This is an absolute must read if you are interest...more
Worth reading. Is Sowell breaking any new ground versus his earlier work, unlikely, but it does make a concise argument based on previous ideas Sowell has advanced about race and economics. Similarly, we return to the conflict of visions the tragic vision of man versus the vision of the anointed. Although he is covering this in other areas of his work (e.g. The Vision of the Anointed), it hasn't stopped those with the vision to continue their work towards a non-existent Utopian version of soc...more
from the library
This guy is a smart guy who bought into Milton Friedman's view of the world and he's carrying water for MF to this day. He could use a little down time to think for himself.
from the library computer:
Aims to unravel the world of intellectuals so that lay people may understand an important social phenomenon--how the thinkers of our society mold that society, leaving an impact on people in every walk of life, even if the thinkers are basically unk...more
This guy is a smart guy who bought into Milton Friedman's view of the world and he's carrying water for MF to this day. He could use a little down time to think for himself.
from the library computer:
Aims to unravel the world of intellectuals so that lay people may understand an important social phenomenon--how the thinkers of our society mold that society, leaving an impact on people in every walk of life, even if the thinkers are basically unk...more
I’ve read a lot of Thomas Sowell. Sometimes he can be accessible, and sometimes he can be very difficult to plow through. This one tends toward the latter. While I admire his reason, wealth of knowledge, and logical support for his arguments, this book seems to repeat a lot of what I have already read in his other books, including Basic Economics, A Conflict of Visions, The Vision of the Anointed, and Race and Culture. It’s not only redundant with other works he has written, but it’s rather redu...more
A dangerous book for someone already harboring suspicions about public intellectuals. An excellent book for someone that is neutral or supportive of public intellectuals. I have not encountered anything like this. It is at the same time the complete opposite of the mindless vitriol against intellectuals by the conservative right and the near worship of intellectuals by the left.
Provides an intelligent and well researched argument to be wary of smart people who are trying to tell you...more
Provides an intelligent and well researched argument to be wary of smart people who are trying to tell you...more
This book is so poor that it is hard to keep a straight face when discussing it.
For the better part it sounds like a 'rant' against 'smart people who assume too much' on the part of the author. Mixing wild examples, assumptions and generalizations on the basis of limited experiences, the author vents his frustration.
Just to make it worse the author does not make a critique of intellectuals in general, just of those who are 'liberal', 'left', etc. There are intellectuals, ...more
For the better part it sounds like a 'rant' against 'smart people who assume too much' on the part of the author. Mixing wild examples, assumptions and generalizations on the basis of limited experiences, the author vents his frustration.
Just to make it worse the author does not make a critique of intellectuals in general, just of those who are 'liberal', 'left', etc. There are intellectuals, ...more
So far I've gone through, it's about how shallow and limited intellectuals could be - despite their thinking of otherwise.
The points are well made, but the book is written in a quite arrogant tone... This makes it actually fun to read, as I can't help wondering whether the author himself is (or, would acknowledge as being) one among the group, the illness of which has been so relentlessly exposed by the book.
The points are well made, but the book is written in a quite arrogant tone... This makes it actually fun to read, as I can't help wondering whether the author himself is (or, would acknowledge as being) one among the group, the illness of which has been so relentlessly exposed by the book.
Good articulation of the problem of elitism among the intelligensia. I wish he would have elaborated on his understanding of how different knowledges work together in society. He was perhaps too critical of the work of intellectuals (the production of ideas). He necessarily used the ideas of intellectuals (historians) to make his case against them. Perhaps intellectuals produce something of value after all.
When it comes to economics Sowell makes basic but factual facts. In Military issues, he convinced me, but I don't think it's bad to seek peace. One thing I didn't like is that he bashes the left but rarefy the right, and he talks about schools indoctrinating students, which I think that guy would be happy if they teach religion in school, all that "family values" bullshit. I will read more of his economics books, but not his social life books since he is a blind conservative.
It is always difficult, if not impossible, to foretell what books will still be read generations from now. If I had to bet, I would bet that this book will be among them. I am not sure if I enjoyed it quite as much as the Vision series, but it is close. Dr. Sowell believes it is his most important work. A reader is always a little wiser after having read the works from this great scholar.
One main point is that intellectuals have no basis for criticizing those in occupations the intellectuals have no experience in themselves. This point removes his authority to talk about any occupation other than his own. This is a book written not to investigate the place of the intellectual in society but instead to attack the legitimacy of the position of intellectual.
Overall, I liked this book. A couple of very interesting chapters, particularly the one on War, which discusses the inter-war period leading up to WWII.
There were many places where Sowell is guilty of the same generalizations for which he ridicules the intelligentsia, which keep me from rating this book higher. But overall, its a work useful to inform one's principles-based framework of beliefs.
There were many places where Sowell is guilty of the same generalizations for which he ridicules the intelligentsia, which keep me from rating this book higher. But overall, its a work useful to inform one's principles-based framework of beliefs.
If you think yourself an intellectual (especially of the progressive persuasion) then you may not want to read this. In his usual brilliance Thomas Sowell puts to rest so much of the Intelligent sounding but ultimately foolish concepts of the progressive intellectuals who like to think they know what is best for us...
Such common sense. If everyone had 10% of Thomas Sowell's ability to understand the world around them in terms of economics, and that the laws of unintended consequences always apply to governments that attempt to manipulate the market, the world would be a far better place.
Интелигентно написана книга, предлагаща просто обяснение за много проблеми от различни сфери на човешката дейност.
Can't go wrong with Sowell. Intellectuals and Society evaluates the people that form our culture to a surprising extent, but never pay for poor results(which come about all too often). Important read.
I got a lot out of this book. Solwell is very readable and has a great sense of humour also. He has many perceptive insights about the "workings" of society's "elites". Recommend it highly.
Dr. Sowell is right on with this treatise on the place of intellectuals in modern American life. I recommend this to anyone who is serious about politics and the future of America.
Like a diamond.
I wrote a review a few minutes ago but I think I didn't save it properly. Will write another soon.
The book is about the effect of people going outside their expertise and it being ineffective to actually help.
My re-review still to come.
I wrote a review a few minutes ago but I think I didn't save it properly. Will write another soon.
The book is about the effect of people going outside their expertise and it being ineffective to actually help.
My re-review still to come.
A thought provoking view of policy makers in our country. Mr. Sowell describes the methods and tactics that the elitist have used to influence the direction of our country.
This book is a hoard of economic, policy and cultural wisdom that factually contradicts prevailing notions of justice, fairness and equality today. I would give it six stars.
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Thomas Sowell is an American economist, social commentator, and author of dozens of books. He often writes from an economically laissez-faire perspective. He is currently a senior fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. In 1990, he won the Francis Boyer Award, presented by the American Enterprise Institute. In 2002 he was awarded the National Humanities Medal for prolific scholars...more
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“Intellect is not wisdom.”
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