Category: Thought

Common sense and the truth should feel authorless, writ by time itself.

Miranda July, “The Shared Patio,” in Zoetrope All-​Story (Winter 2005).

Mein lieber Professor, ein solcher Krieg hätte uns wenigstens 30,000 Mann brave Soldaten gekostet, und uns im besten Falle keinen Gewinn gebracht. Wer aber nur ein Mal in das brechende Auge eines sterbenden Kriegers auf dem Schlachtfeld geblickt hat, der besinnt sich, bevor er einen Krieg anfängt.

My dear Professor, a war would have cost us at least 30,000 brave soldiers, and at best we should have gained nothing by it. Besides, anyone who has once looked into the glassy eyes of a dying warrior on the battle-​field would think twice before beginning a war. 

Minister President Otto von Bismarck, of Prussia, remarks of June 1867 defending provisions of the Treaty of London (May 11, 1867), as quoted by Wilhelm Görlach in Prince Bismarck: A Biographical Sketch (1875), p. 13.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but where does QAnon go for the apology?

Comedian Bill Maher, speaking about the Jeffrey Epstein story, on Straight Shooter with Stephen A., SiriusXM (February 4, 2026).

As for the loss of experience and expertise if there were no career politicians, much — if not most — of that is experience and expertise in the arts of evasion, effrontery, deceit and chicanery. None of that serves the interest of the people.

Thomas Sowell, “A Real Term Limit,” Capitalism Magazine (March 20, 2013).

In regione caecorum rex est luscus.

In the country of the blind the one-​eyed man is king.

Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, Adagia (1500; 1536).

What cannot be cured must be endured.

François Rabelais, Pantagruel: Fifth Book (1564).

Since risky investments usually pay more than safer investments, the incentive is for a government-​supported enterprise to take bigger risks, since they get more profit if the risks pay off and the taxpayers get stuck with the losses if not.

Thomas Sowell, “Bailout Politics,” September 30, 2008.

I am a lover of liberty. I will not and I cannot serve a party.

As quoted in Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1900) by Ephraim Emerton, p. 377.

The fact that so many successful politicians are such shameless liars is not only a reflection on them, it is also a reflection on us. When the people want the impossible, only liars can satisfy. 

Thomas Sowell, “Big Lies in Politics” (Townhall, July 31, 2012).

I know you’re sane and you know you’re sane. But what if we’re both wrong?

Robert Sheckley, “The Death of the Dreammaster,” in Martin H. Greenberg (ed.), The Further Adventures of Batman (1989), p. 24