The Divine Right of Intellectuals (Review of Thomas Sowell's "Intellectuals and Society")

National Review Online ^ | January 05, 2010 | David Hogberg

[livius]

That the Corvair was as safe as any other car on the road has not cut into Ralph Nader’s speaking fees, nor has the failure of hundreds of millions of people to starve to death diminished Paul Ehrlich’s access to grant money. They only have to maintain the esteem of the intelligentsia to keep the gravy train running.

Excellent observation. I'm going to have to read this book!

[neverdem]

Pretty good review, the only criticism is about the omission of an unrelated topic - vacuous celebrities.

[rellimpank]

—bflr—

[Jim W N]

Good post.

Sowell defines intellectuals as an occupation, as people whose “work begins and ends with ideas.”

I think the occupation of at least some intellectuals' work begins with the ends they seek and then figures out ideas to get there.

And as Sowell points out, they don't have to test the benefit of either their goals or the plausibility of their ideas

[subterfuge]

Knowledge is an entirely different thing than WISDOM. “Intellectuals” have little of the latter.

[MrB]

That’s because they have no “fear of the Lord” as the “beginning of Wisdom”.

Their worldview is based on the lies of the serpent in Gen 3:4-5.

[astyanax]

Good read.
I think it all comes down to one thing:
Isolation from the “real” world.

“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is.” -Yogi Berra

[jagusafr]

“intellectuals seldom addressed the arguments against pacifism, instead dismissing them as, in the words of John Dewey, “the stupidity of habit-bound minds.” “

C.S. Lewis has a tremendous essay (speech, actually) entitled, “Why I Am Not A Pacifist”, which he delivered to a society of English pacifists.

Colonel, USAFR

[astyanax]

"Knowledge is an entirely different thing than WISDOM."
Good point. Many also confuse education with intelligence.
I know numerous people who are educated beyond their intelligence.

[Texas Jack]

They only have to maintain the esteem of the intelligentsia to keep the gravy train running.

This is why they are always presenting each other with awards; Pulitzer's, Nobel Peace Prize, and on and on.

Imagine that dolt Hillary winning a prize for writing a book. Her alcohol saturated brain is hardly capable of thought, let alone writing a book.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for posting and the ping, neverdem! This is well worth the read.

*PING*
Thomas Sowell

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Intellectuals and Society
Peddlers Of Ideas Seldom Pay The Price
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[Maceman]

This was a very well-written review. Sowell’s book is the next one I will buy and read, after I finish reading the ones I got for Christmas.

[rockinqsranch]

Sowell is synonymous with Excellence isn’t it.

Thanks for the ping jaz. I am going to get that book as soon as I find it.

[D521646]

Sowell is a living legend.. I don't think I've ever disagreed with anything he's said..

Tim-

[GWMcClintock]

“Pretty good review, the only criticism is about the omission of an unrelated topic - vacuous celebrities.”

That’s another whole book in and of itself.

[stephenjohnbanker]

“” If the intellectuals are like-minded, as they often are, then the validity of an idea depends on what those intellectuals already believe. This means that an intellectual’s ideas are tested only by internal criteria and “become sealed off from feedback from the external world of reality.””

In a nutshell. Intellectuals never have to face reality.

[neverdem]

This is why they are always presenting each other with awards; Pulitzer's, Nobel Peace Prize, and on and on.

It reminds of the "peer review" exposed in climategate. Thanks for the reminder.

[stephenjohnbanker]

C.S. Lewis and Tom Sowell = 2 REAL intellectuals.

[bvw]

Great job, three jobs — Paul Johnson -> Thomas Sowell -> David Hogberg !