341 books
—
173 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves” as Want to Read:
The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves
by
Life is getting better—and at an accelerating rate. Food availability, income, and life span are up; disease, child mortality, and violence are down — all across the globe. Though the world is far from perfect, necessities and luxuries alike are getting cheaper; population growth is slowing; Africa is following Asia out of poverty; the Internet, the mobile phone, and conta
...more
Get A Copy
Hardcover, 448 pages
Published
May 18th 2010
by Harper
(first published 2010)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Rational Optimist,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Nick Alden
I don't think it matters. Science is a traditionally male dominated profession. Though some women have read this book and given it good reviews.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-45
Start your review of The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves
May 15, 2010
Richard
rated it
did not like it
Recommended to Richard by:
www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?st...
I wanted to read this because of the excellent review in the Economist: Getting better all the time: The biological, cultural and economic forces behind human progress .
But I started out skeptical. I’m fairly optimistic that in the long term humans are pretty good at ratcheting up to a better future, but my gut reaction to the wide array of problems facing today’s civilization is that the cumulative effect might trigger a global “reset button” handing us a new Dark Age, relatively speaking, ...more
But I started out skeptical. I’m fairly optimistic that in the long term humans are pretty good at ratcheting up to a better future, but my gut reaction to the wide array of problems facing today’s civilization is that the cumulative effect might trigger a global “reset button” handing us a new Dark Age, relatively speaking, ...more
3.2 Stars
Review in Short: An insightful, if often crude and narrow, defense of how trade and greater specialization will continue to fuel humanity's progress toward higher living standards and greater human dignity for all.
*
This book definitely has its moments. The book is the outcome of one of its own ideas -- "idea sex" -- many ideas come together to mingle in this book. And, I believe that many of the ideas are clearly presented and poignant. There are many fine detai ...more
Review in Short: An insightful, if often crude and narrow, defense of how trade and greater specialization will continue to fuel humanity's progress toward higher living standards and greater human dignity for all.
*
This book definitely has its moments. The book is the outcome of one of its own ideas -- "idea sex" -- many ideas come together to mingle in this book. And, I believe that many of the ideas are clearly presented and poignant. There are many fine detai ...more
I just finished Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley. Because I am an overly pessimistic individual, I expected to hate the book.
I loved the book.
I should point out where I read the book, because context is important in this case. I was in Berlin. My hotel room was about 50 meters away from Checkpoint Charlie the central point of the cold war. I was within 2 minutes the remains of a train station where thousands of Jews were sent to their death. I was near the remains of the ...more
I loved the book.
I should point out where I read the book, because context is important in this case. I was in Berlin. My hotel room was about 50 meters away from Checkpoint Charlie the central point of the cold war. I was within 2 minutes the remains of a train station where thousands of Jews were sent to their death. I was near the remains of the ...more
Ridley makes the obvious point that life is now better than it has been at any point in humanity's past by virtually any metric, even metrics not designed specifically to make this point (like GDP), for basically everyone. Having done this for a few dozen pages (during which he is guilty of only a few instances of exaggeration, cherry picking, or intentional omission of information; his thesis really is largely true), he realises he can never fill a book with it, so he goes off into surprisingly
...more
Every so often you come across a book that causes you to reevaluate the way you view the world. The Rational Optimist is definitely one of those books. Personally, I think this may be one of the most important books of the last 10 years. In many ways I am an optimist, but when it comes to the bigger picture of the world I would have to admit I have been a pessimist for some time. While I certainly am pessimistic about the short-term in America, we are going to have to feel some pain at some point to wak
...more
Ridley's books on genetics and evolution are clear, well-supported books on the topic, so I was looking forward to his newest piece of non-fiction. Instead it is a conflation of economics, anthropology, genetics, gaming and a half-dozen other disciplines that argues "don't worry, be happy" about human progress.
Though he's right about human progress over centuries, the book would have been laughed off the market had it appeared in a period like that after World War II, when tens of millions had ...more
Though he's right about human progress over centuries, the book would have been laughed off the market had it appeared in a period like that after World War II, when tens of millions had ...more
Another Goodreads member, Helen Grant, wrote a scathing review of The Rational Optimist:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I found it particularly offensive and hypocritical that she took Ridley to task for his tone, calling it “blithe and pompous” in the midst of a review which was itself sarcastic, insulting, smugly self-congratulatory, and just plain vulgar. Certainly, Ridley can be sarcastic, and I consider that a blemish on his oth ...more
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I found it particularly offensive and hypocritical that she took Ridley to task for his tone, calling it “blithe and pompous” in the midst of a review which was itself sarcastic, insulting, smugly self-congratulatory, and just plain vulgar. Certainly, Ridley can be sarcastic, and I consider that a blemish on his oth ...more
Tā nu ir iegājies, ka cilvēks, lai arī kādā laikā nedzīvotu, vienmēr uzskata, ka pirms tam viss ir bijis labāk, veselīgāk un pilnvērtīgāk. Jau senie grieķi mīlēja sacerēt stāstus par to, kā jaunieši ir kļuvuši tik izlaisti, ka neprot vairs ne lāgā rakstīt, ne lasīt. Arī mūsdienās cilvēki ar nostalģiju atceras vecos labos laikus, kad desā bija gaļa un benzīns maksāja praktiski neko. Kad cilvēki neēda ģenētiski modificētus produktus un vispār bija tuvāk dabai. Nākotne, kā likums, mūs nekad neiepri
...more
Ως γνήσιος ρασιοναλιστης συστήνω αυτό το βιβλίο σε όσους θέλουν να διαβάσουν μια εμπνευσμένη καταγραφή της ανθρώπινης εξέλιξης και της πορείας του Είδους μας ανά τους αιώνες. Με βάση την οικονομική ανταλλαγή, το εμπόριο, τις γνώσεις που συσσώρευσε, τον καταμερισμο εργασίας και την εμπιστοσύνη, ο άνθρωπος κατάφερε να τρέψει την στοιχειώδη ανθρώπινη ευφυΐα στον συλλογικό εγκέφαλο! Με αποτέλεσμα η ανθρωπότητα αργά αλλά σταθερά να φτάσει σήμερα να δρεπει τους καρπούς της ορθολογικοτητας και του οικο
...more
I wanted to like this, but it was filled with total nonsense so I couldn't. Some of it is mildly interesting. None of it is new. And most of the verifiable stuff is distorted into his markets-can-do-no-wrong libertarianism. I even like books that are libertarian. This one was irritating though because it was so blatantly manipulating data and facts. If you want to be an optimist, go read more rational ones like: Abundance, or Pinker, or Sapiens, etc. This is empty nonsense
Very valuable read overall. Apart from the secularism and the evolutionary assumptions, Ridley does a great job of describing things in a way that counteracts the very common and insistent cultural pessimistic narrative. Postmillenialists need to read this kind of stuff together with their scriptural studies. Eschatology, markets and progress all go together.
“I have observed that not the man who hopes when others despair, but the man who despairs when others hope, is admired by a large class of persons as a sage.” - JOHN STUART MILL
And to make up for it, I will be generous and rate it 5/5. This is a slightly counter-intuitive book that argues for a bright, prosperous future of humanity despite climate change, despite clueless politicians, despite human nature itself and ofcourse despite the Left-liberals :) And religious radicalism doesnt even ...more
And to make up for it, I will be generous and rate it 5/5. This is a slightly counter-intuitive book that argues for a bright, prosperous future of humanity despite climate change, despite clueless politicians, despite human nature itself and ofcourse despite the Left-liberals :) And religious radicalism doesnt even ...more
3.5. I loved the first two chapters of this. After that, it got steadily worse and I ended up skipping the last 100 pgs.
The premise is that human culture is very adept at innovating and solving problems; as such, the author believes that, despite the pessimism of most people, one can very rationally feel quite optimistic over the future of humanity. We will find solutions to climate change and the other great problems that our species faces.
I am sympathetic to this argument and I thought that ...more
The premise is that human culture is very adept at innovating and solving problems; as such, the author believes that, despite the pessimism of most people, one can very rationally feel quite optimistic over the future of humanity. We will find solutions to climate change and the other great problems that our species faces.
I am sympathetic to this argument and I thought that ...more
It's very rarely i stumble upon such a rare gem. I was initially a bit skeptical, thinking by the title it might be a blabla type feel good book, but i was blown away but i what I found: a very solid strong scientific book with tons of facts and reliable research. And while i did love feeling a biologist was explaining stuff, and it took me back to my old love of history (which i now see in a completely new light) what i was so very impressed to find was that it was written by a man who understa
...more
Here is the central thesis of The Rational Optimist: What is uniquely human is that our intelligence is collective and cumulative in a way that is true of no other animal. (Richard Dawkins, of "The Selfish Gene" fame, dubbed the units of cultural imitation that comprise this heritage as "memes".) Evolution in sexually reproducing species is driven by genetic exchange. Culture evolution is much the same, but the unit of exchange is the idea. The truly Big Bang idea was that of division of labor,
...more
Journalist famed for his books on biology writes about economic issues. He should have stuck to biology. All materials are covered in too simplistic manner without any attention to the nuances. This is not rational. This is far from rational. This is Ridley being a fool.
Like he pointed out that the costs of buying food produced and grown from afar is less costly than getting similar produces that are grown nearby. That's fine. I can accept that. But then a few sentences down the line ...more
Like he pointed out that the costs of buying food produced and grown from afar is less costly than getting similar produces that are grown nearby. That's fine. I can accept that. But then a few sentences down the line ...more
As we are constantly bombarded with doom prophesies the book makes a really good job and puts all of that into greater perspective. Rational Optimist starts with a thesis that we are way better off than we ever were. The book states that our lives have improved significantly in terms of wealth, nutrition, life expectancy, literacy and many other measures. Matt Ridley makes convincing arguments that things will continue to improve. The book also serves as a defence of free trade and globalisation
...more
A libertarian propaganda manifesto written by a convinced/convicted capitalist. The author shows evident climate-change skeptism, denies any significant contribution of scientific research and public funding policies to world prosperity, and instead attributes all the merit to free market and capital.
I will not comment any further. Here's some insightful background about the author :
https://www.theguardian.com/commentis...
https://www.theguardian.com/commentis... ...more
I will not comment any further. Here's some insightful background about the author :
https://www.theguardian.com/commentis...
https://www.theguardian.com/commentis... ...more
Pessimists get all the media coverage; optimists are poo-pooed for their naivete. Nevertheless, Matt Ridley puts together a good argument that in general, conditions in the world are improving. Not everywhere, of course; but in general, living conditions are improving, there is less violence, innovation is accelerating, and the dire events predicted by doomsayers are not coming true.
Free trade, cheap energy, and specialization are the things that help grow civilizations. Science is n ...more
Free trade, cheap energy, and specialization are the things that help grow civilizations. Science is n ...more
Nov 09, 2019
Giovanni Gigliozzi Bianco
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
1-own,
2-ebook,
3-non-fiction,
artificial-intelligence,
complexity,
economics,
ecology,
futurism,
human-evolution,
poverty
Excelente. Mas certamente odiado por pessimistas, ecologistas apocalípticos e anti-liberais em geral. Por isso tantas avaliações negativas, politicamente motivadas. O livro continua robusto, baseado em dados, evidências e lógica.
This libertarian screed has been praised by a predictable array of dangerous right-wing organizations, such as The Guardian and the BBC.
Perhaps these organizations saw a kindred soul in someone who was demonstrably wrong in the past (in this case, part of the “management” of a bank that went bust) and, possessing an endless supply of gaseous self-confidence, just keeps insisting that the disaster was not his fault and the rest of the world could still profit from adopting his entire world-view. In addition ...more
Perhaps these organizations saw a kindred soul in someone who was demonstrably wrong in the past (in this case, part of the “management” of a bank that went bust) and, possessing an endless supply of gaseous self-confidence, just keeps insisting that the disaster was not his fault and the rest of the world could still profit from adopting his entire world-view. In addition ...more
avoid
I really thought I would like "The Rational Optimist." First off, Ridley is a science writer, and I'm a science geek. As a science writer, I'd figure that Ridley would be firmly grounded in facts. And where Ridley stuck to the science and the facts, the book is excellent.
What's more, like Ridley I am convinced that humans are safer and freer today than we ever were. And whenever people yearn for "the good old days," I cringe.Even the "good old days" of the 50's were horrific for African America ...more
What's more, like Ridley I am convinced that humans are safer and freer today than we ever were. And whenever people yearn for "the good old days," I cringe.Even the "good old days" of the 50's were horrific for African America ...more
Selamlar Matt Ridley,
Sanırım türü anlamak için seçtiğin yöntemle diğerlerinden ayrıldın, sosyal bilimcilere kaydın. Evrimden çıkıp, çıktığın bu yolda ne güzel bilenerek (Bknz: Matt Ridley’in Bilendikleri) ekonomiye bağlamışsın. Abi kömür madenciliğinden kar etmiş bir neslin soyundan gelen Matt Ridley’in canını sıkmışsınız felaket tellalığınızla, adamı her bölümünde “hallederiz abi yea” dedirten bir kitap yazmaya zorlamışsınız. İnsanoğlunun sonu gelmiyor ya, az sakin olun.
Müsaade var ...more
Çok ilginç bir bakış açısı var. Evrim teorisini de içine katarak yaşadığımız iktisadi değişimi -fazla- iyimser değerlendiren bir kitap. Açıkcası yazarla çoğu konuda aynı fikirde olmasak da iktisadi değerlendirme olarak olaylara karşıdan bakmak hoşuma gitti.
Ancak, yazarın sürekli söylediklerini ispat etme çabası ve çevreci/ sosyalistler gibi yazarın düşüncesinin zıttı oluşumları yanlışlamaya çalışması, kendini tekrara sokması kitabın sonunu getirmemi zorlaştırdı.
Ancak, yazarın sürekli söylediklerini ispat etme çabası ve çevreci/ sosyalistler gibi yazarın düşüncesinin zıttı oluşumları yanlışlamaya çalışması, kendini tekrara sokması kitabın sonunu getirmemi zorlaştırdı.
A truly inspiring book that goes against everything I've ever heard about the future of humanity.
Ridley takes the reader on a journey from the beginnings of mankind through the present to our future as a species. The prognosis: A) We have much to be thankful for today, and B) the future may not be as bleak as we believe, in spite of climate change and other impending problems.
Here's the gist: over time, humanity has managed to capitalize on specialization, trade and the c ...more
Ridley takes the reader on a journey from the beginnings of mankind through the present to our future as a species. The prognosis: A) We have much to be thankful for today, and B) the future may not be as bleak as we believe, in spite of climate change and other impending problems.
Here's the gist: over time, humanity has managed to capitalize on specialization, trade and the c ...more
Some really interesting ideas and thoroughly amazing facts.... but in the end, it undermines itself. I even agree with the central tenet that the world is getting better, and could go with the argument that specialization and trade are at the center of progress. But it's a good example of how not to make an argument - it takes a persuasive theory and carries it way, way too far, mocking those who disagree and not admitting to any grey areas. Every single cause for pessimism in the modern world must be
...more
Feb 14, 2017
Juliana
marked it as so-bad-i-gave-up
What can I say, I'm a rational pessimist. Vomiting data on our evolution doesn't change the fact that we live in a planet with finite resources. Not sure what his conclusion is, but I'm not listening all this massive fact dumping to find out.
This is a pop economy book that makes bold suppositions but conveniently glosses over the details. All said, I think you can be a well-informed optimist who still sees light at the end of a dark and harrowing tunnel while soaking up all the gritty details Ridley conveniently chooses to ignore. Even so, this is a frustrating book to read. There were so many contradictory arguments, I wouldn't even know where to begin in picking them apart.
It's not that I don't believe things are getting better, ...more
It's not that I don't believe things are getting better, ...more
An excellent history of civilization as a concept from prehistory to modern times. Explains why humans evolved and began to trade with each other. Traces progress and improving conditions. Makes the case for being optimistic about the long-term prospects for humanity.
When human beings were all still hunter-gatherers, each needed about 1000 hectares of land to support him or her. Now thanks to modern farming each needs little more than a tenth of a hectare. Since 1900 the world has increased its ...more
When human beings were all still hunter-gatherers, each needed about 1000 hectares of land to support him or her. Now thanks to modern farming each needs little more than a tenth of a hectare. Since 1900 the world has increased its ...more
A Masterpiece. Matt Ridley is always a pleasure to read, but this puts the icing on the cake. If I claimed The Rational Optimist to be the most important non-fiction book I've read in my entire life, it wouldn't be far from the truth. I'll be going through the individual references next week, and looking at their citations for more insights, but seriously, this is a must read. If you want to fight poverty, save the environment, and build a better world - look no further. READ THIS BOOK.
Edit: Al ...more
Edit: Al ...more
On the one hand, the idea that the division of labour and specialisation is behind most of the achievements of human history is, while not exactly a new one, probably underemphasised in most accounts of human development. Certainly I found his argument that specialisation, trade and division of labour was behind the late-palaeolithic explosion of tool making and art persuasive. On the other hand (and the author would doubtless accuse me of being one of those doom-laden pessimists he rails agains
...more
This book leaves me puzzled. It offers a dazzling overview of human history drenched in an optimistic progression approach. Especially the emphasis on the evergrowing and intertwined role of exchange, specialisation and innovation is an eye-opener. For me, Ridley is also rather convincing in his condemnation of the always returning doom thinking, especially on the climate-change issue.
But, on the other hand, this is also a radical, ultra-liberal pamphlet. Ridley glorifies in one-sided freemarke ...more
But, on the other hand, this is also a radical, ultra-liberal pamphlet. Ridley glorifies in one-sided freemarke ...more
Feb 14, 2018
Kimball
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Kimball by:
Larry Hansen
4.5 stars. A very, very good book. Especially if you want to learn about history. For example, the author's example of how much it'd cost (in time) to produce an hour of reading light today vs in the 1800's and even ancient times. This part was a lot of fun to read. This is a great book to know why we're so blessed to live in these last days. If you're not feeling grateful to be alive today after reading this book then no amount of medication can help you and you can't be helped. This books need
...more
I think it's boring. I don't have an argument for this one, I just think it's boring.
This book is written for optimists so it really didn't work for a pessimist like me.
The biggest problem in this book was how it repeated itself. I was like oh look at this graph...don't you see how there are fewer wars, less famine, more and more money to use for luxuries... Don't you see how it's a trend. Don't you see it will continue like that forever? It was like this book was saying that it's okay not to change the way we live. And that was maybe most annoying. Yes, we are doing ...more
The biggest problem in this book was how it repeated itself. I was like oh look at this graph...don't you see how there are fewer wars, less famine, more and more money to use for luxuries... Don't you see how it's a trend. Don't you see it will continue like that forever? It was like this book was saying that it's okay not to change the way we live. And that was maybe most annoying. Yes, we are doing ...more
Matt Ridley, science writer and commentator, delivers a blistering attack on the pessimists of the world, who extrapolate their way to doom and gloom, whether it be a new Ice Age, overpopulation, markets rather than hierarchies, energy crises, food scares and epidemics. He shows, with a wealth of examples (not always well referenced - especially the statistics) that the human race, due to its unique in its ability to trade goods, services and ideas with people outside the family or other small g
...more
Sep 02, 2013
Juan Manuel Charry Urueña
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
main
El pesimismo es necesario para incentivar la invención y la creatividad. Algunas de las cosas que dice el libro: Desde 1800. la población mundial se ha multiplicado por seis, la esperanza de vida es más del doble y el ingreso real se ha incrementado más de nueve veces. La verdadera medida de la prosperidad es el tiempo. Fabrica una cosa y usa muchas. Hoy en día, el 1% trabaja en agricultura, el 24% en industria y el 75% en otros. Adición acumulada de conocimiento especializado, que permite que c
...more
I listened as an audiobook during a long drive to and from elko.
Even with literally nothing else to do but listen to this book it failed to keep my attention as most books do.
At times I'd nod my head in agreement, but other times I'd be screaming at the reader in disbelief.
The book basically talks about how free markets are the cure for everything from world hunger, Africa, and global warming. I do believe that markets are important, but within reason. The author claims any type of regulation ...more
Even with literally nothing else to do but listen to this book it failed to keep my attention as most books do.
At times I'd nod my head in agreement, but other times I'd be screaming at the reader in disbelief.
The book basically talks about how free markets are the cure for everything from world hunger, Africa, and global warming. I do believe that markets are important, but within reason. The author claims any type of regulation ...more
I would give this book 3.5 stars. As a person who considers myself a pessimist, I surprisingly liked this book.
Drawing on history, anthropology, science and statistics, Ridley makes some strong points for specialisation, free trade, innovation, development and improved standard of living. He provides utmost weight to specialisation and presents it as the primary cause of human domination and evolution. He dismisses any kind of top down influence as parasitical and believes in free trade. He cle ...more
Drawing on history, anthropology, science and statistics, Ridley makes some strong points for specialisation, free trade, innovation, development and improved standard of living. He provides utmost weight to specialisation and presents it as the primary cause of human domination and evolution. He dismisses any kind of top down influence as parasitical and believes in free trade. He cle ...more
Ridley gives a good description of how the barter and exchange of goods and ideas have helped make improvements in human lives. I think, though, he overstates his case, especially in his vilification of straw men (i.e., the government and liberals) and his attacks on pessimists (no matter how out of the mainstream their ideas are/were). This is too bad because he could have had a very good book otherwise. His continual snarking about government intervention in business is especially annoying, an
...more
As a callow teenager in the 1970s, I was deeply impressed by the books of Paul Ehrlich, who basically predicted that by the early 21st century the entire world would have become a hellish stew of mass famine, total resource exhaustion, rampant disease, and continuous warfare. Looking back, I can see that Prof. Ehrlich has a record of failed predictions that would make Nostradamus blush, but perhaps it was my early adherence to those views that subsequently instilled in me a healthy scepticism fo
...more
Un ottimo libro, che mi ha fatto capire come la maggior parte della gente sbagli quando mi considera un pessimista. Io sono un razionale, e sono ottimista per quanto riguarda la specie a cui appartengo.
In generale sono d'accordo con l'autore sia sull'analisi, sia sulle conclusioni. I dati sono chiari e precisi, i ragionamenti che spiegano i fatti lineari e comprensibili a chiunque sappia guardare (e voglia guardare) oltre il proprio ombelico.
Alcuni passaggi meriterebbero un approfondimento (si ...more
In generale sono d'accordo con l'autore sia sull'analisi, sia sulle conclusioni. I dati sono chiari e precisi, i ragionamenti che spiegano i fatti lineari e comprensibili a chiunque sappia guardare (e voglia guardare) oltre il proprio ombelico.
Alcuni passaggi meriterebbero un approfondimento (si ...more
Ridley makes a wonderful and (for the most part) data-supported case that human innovation coupled wisely (and minimally) regulated markets will propel us to a much better future. He's not Panglossian, but he convincingly argues that poverty, disease, habitat destruction and other tragedies should decrease if present trends continue. This book is a good reminder for progressives (note that Ridley is a liberal, in the classical sense) that top-down regulation and interference with trade is often
...more
This book is trash. Written by a pompous 1%er, whose arrogance is just astounding. He blithely bats aside issues which are actually important.
This a conservative book to justify attitudes that aren't really progressive or even that modern ... the title is misleading. It's basically a book about nothing, written for cunts to read at their local book club before picking up their enormous pay cheques, and wondering why all these things are happening on the tv, and not there in Surrey- but, it ...more
This a conservative book to justify attitudes that aren't really progressive or even that modern ... the title is misleading. It's basically a book about nothing, written for cunts to read at their local book club before picking up their enormous pay cheques, and wondering why all these things are happening on the tv, and not there in Surrey- but, it ...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Matthew White Ridley, 5th Viscount Ridley DL FRSL FMedSci (born 7 February 1958, in Northumberland) is an English science writer, businessman and aristocrat. Ridley was educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford where he received a doctorate in zoology before commencing a career in journalism. Ridley worked as the science editor of The Economist from 1984 to 1987 and was then its Washington cor
...more
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Because it is a monopoly, government brings inefficiency and stagnation to most things it runs; government agencies pursue the inflation of their budgets rather than the service of their customers; pressure groups form an unholy alliance with agencies to extract more money from taxpayers for their members. Yet despite all this, most clever people still call for government to run more things and assume that if it did so, it would somehow be more perfect, more selfless, next time.”
—
12 likes
“Random violence makes the news precisely because it is so rare, routine kindness does not make the news precisely because it is so commonplace. (104)”
—
10 likes
More quotes…
