This title offers a withering and clear-eyed critique about—but not for—intellectuals that explores their impact on public opinion, policy, and society at large.
The thesis of Intellectuals and Society states 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 them.
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 proven 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.
© 2010 Blackstone Publishing (Ljudbok): 9781483052175
Utgivningsdatum
Ljudbok: 5 januari 2010
Taggar
This title offers a withering and clear-eyed critique about—but not for—intellectuals that explores their impact on public opinion, policy, and society at large.
The thesis of Intellectuals and Society states 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 them.
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 proven 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.
© 2010 Blackstone Publishing (Ljudbok): 9781483052175
Utgivningsdatum
Ljudbok: 5 januari 2010
Taggar
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Michael
29 jan. 2021
Very analytical an fact based reasoning. Thomas Sowell is brilliant.
Elias
26 feb. 2021
Another great book by this great author!
Måns
18 maj 2023
Den får bara fyra eftersom den innehåller många upprepningar från The Vision of the Anointed. Men den är bra. Särskilt den hänsynslösa vidräkningen med "The anointed" imponerar. Hitler var förstås en motbjudande person, men han hade kunnat stoppas i tid om det inte varit för dessa välvilliga människor. 20 miljoner döda hade kunnat undvikas. Det är ingen liten anklagelse Sowell slungar ut. Mycket tyder på att den har fog för sig.
She
28 dec. 2020
Bra
Angelina
13 aug. 2018
An absolutely incredible book that will change the way you think of intellectuals. I would recommend Alex Epstein's work after this.
M.
17 mars 2023
Ya. The poor of today is way better off than the poor decades or centuries ago, and people tend to earn more later in life than when they're entering the jobmarket. This is apparently proof that "intellectuals" (defined as people with no real life knowledge or accountability, preferably lefties) is wrong when they are pointing out that there is a big and growing difference in relative wealth between the haves and the have-nots. Seems about as legit as many of the other opinions presented as truths. I'm trying to listen with an open mind, but the over-simplifications and onesidedness makes it difficult. If you want to be preached to, this is a book for you.
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