‘The Most Basic Question Is Not What Is Best, but Who Shall DECIDE What Is Best’

Thomas Sowell: A Beacon of Reason in a Nonsensical World

25 quotes from one of America’s most prolific intellectuals.

Jon Henschen | January 31, 2018

When I hear the name Thomas Sowell, it gets my immediate attention. Dr. Sowell, recently retired from his position as Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, is an American economist turned social theorist, political philosopher, and best-selling author.

 

Born in North Carolina in 1930, Sowell grew up in Harlem, New York. He dropped out of high school at age 17 due to financial difficulties and problems at home, but went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War.  Following the war, he received a bachelor’s degree from Harvard, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1958. The following year, he received a master’s degree from Columbia University. In 1968, he earned a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Chicago.

 

Sowell served on the faculties of Cornell University and University of California, Los Angeles, and also worked for think tanks such as the Urban Institute. He has written more than 30 books and is a National Humanities Medal recipient for innovative scholarship which incorporated history, economics and political science.

 

What I appreciate most about Mr. Sowell is his unique perspective as an African-American conservative with libertarian leanings who came of age during the Jim Crow era.

 

The best way to experience Sowell is to view a sampling of his many famous quotes and dialogues. Here are 25 quotes to make you think.

 

 

Education

 

1. “Too much of what is called ‘education’ is little more than an expensive isolation from reality.”

 

Health Services

 

2. “It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medications somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medications and a government bureaucracy.”

 

On Government & Politicians

 

3. “The real minimum wage is zero.”

 

4. “The most basic question is not what is best, but who shall decide what is best?”

 

5. “Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it.”

 

6. “The big divide in this country is not between Democrats and Republicans, or women and men, but between talkers and doers.”

 

7. “Capitalism knows only one color: that color is green; all else is necessarily subservient to it, hence, race, gender and ethnicity cannot be considered within it.”

 

8. “If you have been voting for politicians who promise to give you goodies at someone else’s expense, then you have no right to complain when they take your money and give it to someone else.”

 

9. “The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.”

 

10. “Balanced budget requirements seem more likely to produce accounting ingenuity then a genuinely balanced budget.”

 

11. “It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.”

 

12. “Whenever a problem is proclaimed in the media there will almost invariably be a solution proposed in politics. Often the solution is worse than the problem.”

 

13. “You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that for bureaucrats procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing.”

 

 

On the Workplace

 

14. “People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything.”

 

15. “Talkers are usually more articulate than doers, since talk is their specialty.”

 

16. “The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favor of holding meetings.”

 

On Taxes and Entitlements

 

17. “The assumption that spending more of taxpayer’s money will make things better has survived all kinds of evidence that it has made things worse.”

 

18. “Despite a voluminous and often fervent literature on income distribution, the cold fact is that income is not distributed: It is earned.”

 

19. “One of the consequences of such notions as entitlements is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that society owes them something.”

 

20. “One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce, and canonize those who complain.”

 

21. “The welfare state is not really about the welfare of the masses. It’s about the egos of the elites.”

 

On Race, Diversity, Multiculturalism

 

22. “Racism is not dead, but is on life support—kept alive by politicians, race hustlers and people who get a sense of superiority by denouncing others as ‘racists.’”

 

23. “The next time some academics tell you how important diversity is, ask how many Republicans there are in the sociology department.”

 

24. “What multiculturalism boils down to is that you can praise any culture in the world except Western culture- and you cannot blame any culture in the world except Western culture.”

 

***

 

In Conclusion

 

For those who are in lockstep with a particular political narrative on how they feel the world should be, I leave you with this Thomas Sowell pearl of wisdom:

 

25. “Mistakes can be corrected by those who pay attention to facts but dogmatism will not be corrected by those who are wedded to a vision.”

From Intellectual Takeout, here.

Eretz Yisrael: More Helpful Than Polite!

Hashem Led The Way

Haaretz Hatovah

Real Life Stories and Experiences of Yidden Settling in Eretz Yisroel.

Our Aliyah story is a bit different than others. I guess I can say that we clearly saw Hashem leading us here, as it was not something that was on our radar screen at all. I grew up in Pittsburgh and after marriage moved to Lakewood where my husband learned in Kollel while I worked. As our family grew, so did our appreciation of family relationships, but it was all long-distance and infrequent visits; I did not have married siblings at the time, and my parents were out of the way in Pittsburgh. My husband’s family, however, had all made Aliyah, and by the time we had four children we made up our minds – we wanted to be near them. We considered the pros and cons, and decided that as long as I would be able to find a job, we could put it together. Happily, my boss told me I could continue my computer programming position with them while living in Eretz Yisroel. I didn’t worry further as I knew that many have such arrangements.

We contacted Nefesh b’Nefesh and although they were very helpful, there was still plenty for us to do. We made a pilot trip, which also served as a job hunt because the day after we sent our lift, I was told that unfortunately, I would not be able to work long distance after all! I made many inquiries, and although I did not get a solid job offer, we were still ready to come and count on Hashem’s continued guidance. The next few weeks were a flurry of shopping, packing, and paperwork. We arrived at the airport with 18 suitcases, 6 carry-ons and 6 personal bags! BH our flight went well, and we really appreciated the NBN welcome committee at the airport! Equally impressive was the welcome we enjoyed from neighbors and family. Our apartment wasn’t ready, and amazingly a neighbor we only met when we arrived offered to store our luggage in their apartment. We spent the next couple of days with a sister-in-law, and then began getting furniture and appliances, with the guidance and advice of many.

Pesach was a beautiful Yom Tov spent with family, and shortly thereafter we were zocheh to my getting offered a great job! My employer heard about me through Nefesh b’Nefesh, and their office is a 20-30 minute drive from my home. It is a frum company doing legal transcription; although they employ many legal transcribers who work from home, there is a pleasant office atmosphere.

We’ve been living in Kiryat Sefer for nearly four years. When we came, our b’chor – almost six – began Mechina (precedes first grade); BH he did fine, although he benefited from some tutoring the following year. The younger ones needed even less adjusting; they love school and by now speak to me in Ivrit. I get by, my Ivrit is good enough for figuring out all the bureaucratic stuff and learning how to shop. One thing that makes my life easier is having a car – I need one to get to my job, as that route is not part of the regular bus service. My husband learns in a kollel, and he appreciates the variety in learning styles, and the many kollelim from which to choose. When we first came, he joined the kollel his brother-in-law was in and it was a good starting place. After a while , with the help of friends, he found a kollel more suited to his needs and BH he is shteiging well.

Socially, I love it. We can go to the park almost every day, and have a choice of several within a five-ten minute walk from our home. There are many nice and friendly neighbors, as well as an English speaking young Neshei – their meetings helped me meet other Americans so I have both Israeli and chutznik friends. They welcomed us and invited us to their homes for Shabbos, and after I had a baby they organized meals! Getting together with family for Bar Mitzvas, Yomim Tovim and chofesh is a delight. We very much enjoy the cousins growing up together. And icing on the cake… my brothers learning in yeshiva come to visit! However, I must admit that I see that for people who don’t have family here it is a big mesirus nefesh.

Another attraction: here in Eretz Yisroel they really care. Even birthing is a family/friendly experience. In hospitals in America, you are isolated in your room and you are offered meals, medicine, etc. Here you eat together in a dining room and although you must go to the nurses for what you need, there is more simcha and understanding – and of course fresh kosher food is great! Much of the staff is frum and I found them to be competent, understanding. If you come to an appointment late, they may yell but you will get what you need, versus in America, they are very polite but not very helpful.

To sum up, here I can take advantage of the ruchnius all around, living in a wonderfully inspiring frum community, with classes, and events for women. While it certainly took strength and support from the community and family, it has truly been a wonderful move for us.

-Shoshana Zimmerman – Kiryat Sefer

Written By Tova Younger

This article is part of our Haaretz Hatovah series featuring Yidden living in, settling, and building up Eretz Yisroel. For more info please contact info@naavakodesh.org or visit naavakodesh.org/haaretz-hatovah

From Naava Kodesh, here.

נטיעת עצים בא”י מקרבת את הגאולה

מצוות נטיעת אילנות בארץ ישראל

מצווה לטעת עצי פרי בארץ ישראל. בנטיעה יש כמה מצוות, בנוסף למצוות ישוב ארץ ישראל. נטיעת חמשה אילנות מאכל בארץ ישראל פוטרת את הנוטע מלצאת למלחמה, עד סוף השנה הרביעית. נטיעת עצים בארץ ישראל מהווים את אחד מסימני הגאולה.

מקורות

בפרשת קדושים (ויקרא יט, כג) נאמר “וְכִי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כָּל עֵץ מַאֲכָל”. חז”ל במדרש דייקו מייתור המילה ונטעתם, ולא כתוב רק שלוש שנים יהיה לכם ערלים, ללמד שיש מצווה לטעם עצים בארץ ישראל[1].

במדרש מסופר שמשה רבינו ציווה את עם ישראל הנכנסים לארץ, לקחת מעדר ולטעת עצים. וז”ל “כיון שנכנסו ישראל לארץ אמר להם משה כל אחד ואחד מכם יטעון מכושיה ויפוק וינצוב ליה נציבין הה”ד כי תבאו אל הארץ ונטעתם “[2].

כל זה בנוסף למצוות יישוב ארץ ישראל שיש בזה, כמבואר בגמ’ (ב”מ קא, ב) ונפסק בשו”ע (חו”מ קס”ח, א) שיש בנטיעת עצים מצוות ישוב ארץ ישראל.

כך גם נאמר במדרש שה’ מצווה את יצחק אבינו להתיישב בארץ ולטעת בה עצים. על הפסוק “וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ… וַיֵּלֶךְ יִצְחָק אֶל אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּים גְּרָרָה: וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְיָ וַיֹּאמֶר אַל תֵּרֵד מִצְרָיְמָה שְׁכֹן בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ”[3]. אמרו במדרש שכן בארץ – עשה שכונה בארץ זרע ונטע אילנות[4]:

המשך לקרוא…

מאתר המכלול, כאן.