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Intellectuals and Society
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
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Intellectuals and Society
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Summary
This is a study of how intellectuals as a class affect modern societies by shaping the climate of opinion in which official policies develop, on issues ranging from economics to law to war and peace.
The thesis of Intellectuals and Society is that 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 actions of power holders in democratic societies, whether or not those power holders accept the general vision or the particular policies favored by intellectuals. Even government leaders with disdain or contempt for intellectuals have had to bend to the climate of opinion shaped by those intellectuals.
Intellectuals and Society not only examines the track record of intellectuals in the things they have advocated but also analyzes the incentives and constraints under which their views and visions have emerged. One of the most surprising aspects of this study is how often intellectuals have been proved not only wrong, but grossly and disastrously wrong in their prescriptions for the ills of society-- and how little their views have changed in response to empirical evidence of the disasters entailed by those views.
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- Charlie
- 07-05-21
Sowell is a light of knowledge
There are just so many examples of how intellectuals make a society stupider, and how their unaccountability to the results of their proclamations makes them wholly unable to ever admit they were wrong, or look at evidence to inform their policy proposals.
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- Niall R
- 18-10-19
Enlightening as always
Thomas Sowell strikes again, shining light on dark places and into dark minds. A must read.
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- Ste mc
- 23-05-21
Enlightening
it's like taking the red pill. You see the world as it is not how it is portrayed.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Timothy S.
- 27-04-22
outstanding
reprogrammes your brain to make it work properly. Sowell is a one man fact factory
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1 person found this helpful
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- Justin Lane
- 27-12-22
A world shattering must read.
There are a few books where, you read them, and so many of your preconceptions are blown away you really view things differently. This is one of those books. Sowell's basic idea here is, some people try and make a lot of statements about society and pay no price for being wrong, and the damage that might cause. Nevertheless they feel entitled to push society and pay no price, and we let them do it anyway... and that's just the beginning.
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- Victor Czerwinski
- 10-07-20
Excellent
Loved this book, Has varied ideas and Thomas Sowell is masterful in his breakdown of the subjects.
Wiki read it again, there is so much to take in.
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- Jon P
- 16-12-20
Intellectuals have had a big effect on society
Quite shocking to see there are very few consequences for the poor advice many intellectuals have provided and the ideas they have implemented by coercion.
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- JPMT
- 11-11-23
So prescient for our times.
You want to know what’s going wrong today and why? Here’s a very good piece of the puzzle.
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- Anonymous User
- 16-11-21
important discussion on morality and responsibilit
Even though the author tries to be pendular and cover and bigger spectrum of opinions, he takes side on the discussion. It's not always easy to agree with the author, but the argumentative style invites for the checking of facts rather than believing mainstream and ideological tendencies. All-in-all a time well invested.
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- Libervurto
- 23-05-23
An Unrelenting Onslaught of Empirical Clarity
Sowell's rigorous historical research, impeccable logic, and illustrative use of statistical data make him well-equipped to tackle the leviathan that is the intellectual class. He deftly exposes the counter-factual reality of the intelligentsia: explaining their clever semantic and psychological tricks to avoid or undermine criticism, the suppressive control they exert over the flow of information, the staggering influence they hold in almost all public institutions, and their personal academic motivations for engaging in such unscrupulous behaviour.
You will be amazed at how often and how completely the intellectual class has been wrong about almost everything, and of course their failures come with zero personal repercussions and largely without acknowledgement at all. Sowell is here to correct the record.
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