Consequences Matter: Thomas Sowell on “Social Justice Fallacies” | Uncommon Knowledge
Recorded on September 7, 2023.
Thomas Sowell, age 93, is the Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution. With his usual fierceness and feistiness intact, Dr. Sowell returns to Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson to discuss his latest book (he’s published over 40 titles over his career), Social Justice Fallacies. In this wide-ranging interview, Dr. Sowell discusses the consequences of our society’s embarking on a quest for equality at the expense of merit. Even if every group in society is given an equal chance, he explains, these groups will end up with disparate levels of income or education. Dr. Sowell also criticizes the concept of systemic racism; his research reveals it doesn’t appear to apply to blacks (watch the interview to see why that word isn’t capitalized here) who are married. The interview concludes with Dr. Sowell reading a moving passage from his book.
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“A high IQ and low information is a very dangerous combination.” Wonderful, Dr. Sowell!
👏👏
Thomas Sowell is a national treasure.
My ass he is. During the Republican primary of the 2016 presidential election, Sowell criticized Donald Trump, questioning whether Trump had "any principles at all, other than promoting Donald Trump?" Two weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Sowell recommended voters to vote for Trump over Hillary Clinton, because he would be "easier to impeach". In 2018, when asked on his thoughts of Trump's presidency, Sowell replied, "I think he's better than the previous president." At least Mitt Romney has principles, Sowell just loooked left and right and said well everyone else in my tribe is supporting him so I'd better do that too.
@@hederahelix622and your point is?. He should have had the foresight to know Trump would be great? Or he isn’t allowed the grace to make wrong calls ?
@@hederahelix622😂 Did you interview him yourself to ask why his opinions changed? Over the course of years?!? My opinion of Trump changed after his election. It changed during his first two years. It changed in his last two years. Trump was certainly a mixed bag.
@@hederahelix622😂😂😂😂
@@hederahelix622 are you saying a man's greatness is determined by his support for Trump? I'm a black guy and Trump is my idol, yet I won't look at Sowell any less because he was shortsighted (like many others) in regards to Trump.
93 and he just published a book! One can only dream to get to old age with a mind so sharp and wise like Dr. Sowell
I never thought I’d ever see another uncommon knowledge featuring Dr Thomas Sowell again in my life. This man never ceases to surprise!
The whitest of white pills is that Dr. Sowell is still with us, and hardly diminished by his age. What a treat to hear him.
His mind is sharper at 93 than Joe Biden’s was at 35.
Was missing Mr.Sowell. Overjoyed to see him back.
"In politics, the goal is not truth, but votes" -Thomas Sowell
Why is this man not known by everyone?? A true national treasure
I wish there were a way to just keep this man alive, healthy and productive for the next 100 years. The world needs Sowell more than ever I think.
Hearing this 93 year old talk with far more intellect than I do at 30, I realise this is a voice from the past sharing his wisdom on society today.
Thomas Sowell is one of the intellectual giants of our age. Any opportunity to hear him speak is a real blessing, and of course any Peter Robinson interview is always a real treat. Thank God for Thomas Sowell and the good work of Peter Robinson and the Hoover Institution.
My ass he is. During the Republican primary of the 2016 presidential election, Sowell criticized Donald Trump, questioning whether Trump had "any principles at all, other than promoting Donald Trump?" Two weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Sowell recommended voters to vote for Trump over Hillary Clinton, because he would be "easier to impeach". In 2018, when asked on his thoughts of Trump's presidency, Sowell replied, "I think he's better than the previous president." At least Mitt Romney has principles, Sowell just loooked left and right and said well everyone else in my tribe is supporting him so I'd better do that too.
@@hederahelix622 Nobody cares what you think.
@@hederahelix622 It seems like his dislike of President Trump was pretty consistent, actually. Being better than Obama is still an extremely low bar, and if that's the only thing to be said about a President, it's hardly "high praise." Nevertheless, Trump would go on to win over many people who he initially alienated across the spectrum, so changing one's mind about him over time seems to have been pretty commonplace. So what is your point? Are you suggesting that you can only be an intellectual giant if you like Trump? Or are you saying changing one's mind is a sign of weakness? Voting for a candidate as the lesser of two evils while still not entirely being happy with the person you vote for/endorse is the history of every American election ever for a lot of people. Who you vote for and support politically is not a hallmark of intelligence, so your ad-hominem fails. Also, calling Mitt Romney "principled" is about as coherent as the rest of your contribution to this thread.
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Dearest Thomas Sowell - may you live even longer and prosper! Thank you for the gift you have given the human race, for your wisdom, humour, kindness, humanity, and humility. ❤
During the Republican primary of the 2016 presidential election, Sowell criticized Donald Trump, questioning whether Trump had "any principles at all, other than promoting Donald Trump?" Two weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Sowell recommended voters to vote for Trump over Hillary Clinton, because he would be "easier to impeach". In 2018, when asked on his thoughts of Trump's presidency, Sowell replied, "I think he's better than the previous president." At least Mitt Romney has principles, Sowell just loooked left and right and said well everyone else in my tribe is supporting him so I'd better do that too.
These discussions with Thomas Sowell should become mandatory parts of the curriculum, in all schools, across every English speaking western nation. You'll never convince me otherwise.
When KZhead sent me here I thought "Great! I'll listen to one of these older interviews again and I will surely enjoy it and learn." The shock and joy to see it was a brand new interview and a new book from Thomas Sowell!
Dr Sowell is an American icon. I’m a 70 year old white male that grew up in the south, was educated in the public school system with many black classmates. Those classmates comparatively did just as well as any of us. Years after high school I ran into a friend from high school that had gotten his law degree and had started a “store front” neighborhood practice in his families neighborhood after being disillusioned as a corporate attorney. I remember him getting EXTREMELY pissed when he was identified in a news article as an “African - American” attorney. He responded in an op-ed piece “I ‘m an AMERICAN of African decent that happens to practice law!” I believe this is the premise of Dr. Sowell’s points, as Americans we ARE equal if we choose to be. We can not let todays political bs divide us.
Was afraid we'd seen the last of Sowell in public. Great to have him back. Sharp and logical as ever.
The best quote ever, "A high IQ and low information is the most dangerous combination ever." Right on Sowell!
Smart people at the same dumb.
Wise, AND funny!
This man is who I want my kids to learn about and look up to. He is a national treasure and we are so lucky to have his voice for as long as we have.
Peter Robinson is an incredible interviewer. So much grace and poise.❤
Tom Sowell still at it at 93. Truly a legend.
Brilliant! And why this man and the late Walter Williams aren't brought up in schools, even during Black history month, tells you everything you need to know about the people running the system.
Thomas Sowell : has a love of facts. He feels knowledge is the way out of troubles that offers solutions through tradeoffs. 93, and he still cares about bettering society. What a gem of a human being.
What an amazing man. His works should be part of every child's education and not the forced rubbish our impressionable children are exposed to.
93 and still dropping truth bombs! A true intellectual hero
Bought his latest book yesterday. Added it to my Sowell library. Giant of a man.
Can’t wait! All the previous uncommon knowledge conversations with Sowell are absolute gold.
Having read most of Thomas Sowell's amazing books, it's clear to me that the conflation of race and culture is one of the biggest intellectual hurdles that our society faces. And it seems very likely that this conflation has been purposefully engineered. Your race does not determine your culture, and by extension your behavior. Political activists continue to promulgate the notion that all these issues are racially mediated, when, in fact, they are culture/behavioral issues. Now, certainly there is a correlation between race and culture, but as anyone who has taken an elementary class on logic should understand, correlation is not causation.
I'm very happy to see Mr Sowell is still doing well at 93. Thank you sir!
He’s more eloquent of a speaker and just so much better of an intellectual at 93 years old, than virtually any college student in America.
Thomas Sowell is a man that we love so much. God bless him.
I so admire Thomas Sowell. I don't know what the West would do without his deep knowledge and brilliant analyses. He clearly deserves the Nobel Prize. Come on America - start recommending him. Hurry up, so he can enjoy the honour.
Never thought we'd see another Uncommon Knowledge with Dr. Sowell. Beautiful.
Three men changed my life forever: my father, my grandfather, and Thomas Sowell.
Thomas sowell's works are single handedly changed my entire world view especially economics and culture
Why hasn't he won a Nobel Prize for Economics or Life Achievement is just so...?! His books should be assigned as mandatory readings in college globally. He spoke the truths that are so crucial to people's life.
He is a legend. Unfortunately our education system doesn't talk about him.
What an absolute honour to have Thomas Sowell on your show. I live in Australia and am a huge fan of Mr Sowell. One of the best minds around.
Thomas Sowell We need one 3 hour podcast from you.
Words can't describe what Dr. Sowell did for my critical thinking skills and intellectual development. I'm glad he's still producing and gifting the world with his knowledge. I hope he has no plans of slowing down any time soon!
93 years young and sharper than most knives in the drawer, I hope he continues his wisdom for many years to come
Goodness - the world NEEDS Thomas Sowell so very much. What a man. Humble. Intelligent. Insightful. And balanced. Thomas - may you live as long as humanly possible sir!
May Mr. Sowell live another 93 years! We need voices like him, they are so rare.
What a mind! What sharpness! He quotes numbers and statistics with an easement that people half his age are not capable of! Always amazed at his wisdom!
I wish we could all be mentored by someone with Thomas Sowell's knowledge and experience.
Thomas Sowell is a national treasure and not allowed to die.
🤣❤ & I guess with the weight of his contributions; he never will…
Weird anecdote: My mom grew up in the poorest county in TN with hillbilly relatives during the depression. She and all of her friends from the public school went to college. She said it was always expected that she would.
Thomas and Peter always a great conversation.
Mr. Sowell, I have missed you like a wise father who has been on a journey. You have come back to teach us again. It literally makes me cry with relief and joy. Thank you. You inspire me to think and to work with wisdom and purpose.
I absolutely love Thomas Sowell. I am a 4th generation reader and admirer of his, and truly believe that he is one of the most, if not the most, brilliant and well developed thinkers America has ever produced. I just wish I had some way of contacting him and convincing him to go on the Carnivore diet so that he could enjoy another 30 or more years of ideal health and happiness, and we could enjoy even more of his unique brilliance.
Thomas changed my thinking about life in a better way through his books. I wish he would do more interviews, I would love to speak to him. Great man.
"A high IQ and low information is a very dangerous combination." - Thomas Sowell I laughed out loud when he said that. I am buying the book, reading it and then gifting it to my "liberal" family.
Great interview Peter. We need more of Thomas Sowell's wisdom in this day and age.
Its going to be a national tragedy the day we ever lose Mr. Sowell. THANK YOU for giving us another gem. i cherish EVERY single one of these.
Overjoyed to see him well and still as sharp as a knife. A national treasure!
I ordered this book on Audible with no context, the second I saw it come up... Sowell has been a fixture in my life for years now - one of the best thinkers there is. And a "fixture" being the right word - a solid and unwavering voice of truth in a world that forgets all too often what it means to be honest. The fact that he is still writing and interviewing at his age is truly astounding. Can't wait for the episode. Many more to come, please! 🙂
I thought he had retired, this was the last thing I expected. What a highlight!
Sou Português, 42 anos de idade. Muito obrigado pela entrevista e pelo privilégio de podermos ouvir e aprender com este magnífico cavalheiro.
Sou Brasileiro e concordo plenamente com o senhor.
Sim
Peter, thank you for this - I treasure and look forward to every interview with Thomas Sowell.
What a brilliant man. All Americans and especially people and political office should read this book and educate themselves. It would be a step in the right direction to Help solve many of our problems.
There should be a movie made about this legend. His books should be read in all schools. His name should be as known as celebrities and athletes.
Thomas Sowell makes me wish we lived 200 years. A brilliant man whose voice is needed more now than ever.
Thomas Sowell is a real American treasure and, like a fine wine, only seems to get better with age. Congratulations on your birthday and book release, one more to add to my reading list.
The gem of all gems! If only one day I could obtain 1% of his wisdom!!
It's really unfortunate that Sowell is not more widely praised in modern society. But still, I am grateful to have come across his ideas.
I'm so grateful for Thomas Sowell. At 93 he is a treasure. As I look forward into the future and the state our country, our world, I'm overwhelmed by the realization that I'm not ready to lose this man.
I couldn’t agree more. 93 years old and still sharp as a tack, and still doing first rate research and books.
Miré la entrevista completa con una sonrisa en la cara. Es increíble la sabiduría del Dr. Sowell.
I hope this man lives to be a century old. I'm surprised that he's still writing books well into his 90s. 🙏
This man is a legend. Breaks my heart to see him get old
Yes! Thomas Sowell is the best teacher I have ever had. I learned so much about life from this man. I am scared to think where I would be without having picked up my first Sowell book (Basic Economics) all those years ago...
Thank you so much for inviting Thomas Sowell in to address these points. His book will surely be timely, and this interview helps make it that much more accessible. We can only hope he will become a reference and guide for the masses
This brought the biggest and most lasting smile to my face. Thomas Sowell is one of my personal heroes. I can’t even imagine looking, sounding, and thinking that sharp at 93! Just unbelievable. Dr. Sowell, if you are reading this, thank you for everything! God bless!
I’ve listened to many of Thomas Sowell’s talks - a few of them here on Uncommon Knowledge. I am always delighted by the wisdom and knowledge he imparts. That last passage that he read was very poignant. Thanks for sharing!
Thomas Sowell still doing interviews and publishing books at 93. Amazing.
Listening to Dr.Sowell speak sets my mind going. I have to pause the video every other minute to think about what he just said.
He gives us another book! What a gift!
What a gift he still does interviews, and with you sir, as an interviewer. The Hoover Institute channel is a great addition to KZhead.
"A high IQ and low information is a very dangerous combination." - probably the best expression of hubris.
One of the greatest humans of all time. The modern genius and inspiration to everyone.
What a brilliant man. More brain power at 93 than most 25 year olds. I'm sad to see he's so close to what is likely the end of his life. What a bright figure that will echo through history. Thank you Dr. sowell for sharing all your wisdom with us
Dear mr. Sowell. You are my moral and intelectual role model. Thank you for your work and for being such a unique mind. I am from Europe and plan to translate all your books to my language. God bless you and wish you many more happy and productive years.
I am so glad I discovered this gem several years ago. This man has changed how I see so many things. Thomas Sowell is a gem.
Omg... more Thomas Sowell. Amazing! I can't wait!! We love you Dr. Sowell! I just pre-ordered his new book! And thank you to Peter Robinson for being the best interviewer, ever! (note to youtubers of the future: This post was made before the premiere of the video!). You two are a lifeline for those of us who are trying to keep our sanity in an insane world. And those of us who watch these videos (and read Dr. Sowell's books) are better able to help others retain their sanity, when we get great content like this. Thank you both so very very much!
Thomas Sowell not only created an opportunity to enrich myself intelectually but also created a mellow in my life... the accceptance of natural flow of life that has both good and evil inbeded in it. Life that can be something much better once you experience a lot of it enough to try not only change the world but accept its flow at the same time as well. Thank you for changing the the rigid mindset of so many people and creating opportunities for them to grow. Thank you for making the world a better place.
I am now going to start calling these authoritarian ideologues we're up against, "low information". I love Dr Sowell!
A giant in modern day. Looking forward to this interview and to the book itself. Thank you for all that you've done for the world, Dr. Sowell. You helped make this man start to think.
Peter is the BEST interviewer and Mr. Sowell is one of the WISEST people on planet earth --- GREAT COMBINATION!
Dr. Sowell is the epitome of utterly authentic Americana. His consistency and ethical competence are unmatched. I genuinely love this man, he is a unique kind of person, a type we don't have too much of today. Academia should be utterly dominated by men and women who share a similar sincerity by way of an exclusively realism based approach.
He has always been a good teacher. Even at 93, he's still very brilliant!
Peter, you are as masterful as Thomas in what you are doing. You brought the best out of Thomas in a magical way. We are blessed he wrote this book at the age of 93. We are equally blessed that you had this wonderful, dignifying and pleasant conversation with the master of providing clarity in the age of elite madness. Thank you. May you both live long enough to see a turning point in this age of discord create by nasty ideologues who create myriad of problems without taking responsibility of the mess they create and pay any price what so ever for the real catastrophes they orchestrate. Thank you both.
So glad to see Mr. Sowell is still pumping out new facts and fallacies.
It is an absolute privilege to listen to Dr. Sowell. I wish I had found him much earlier in life. Keep up the good work Hoover Institution.
I can not express how grateful I am that Thomas Sowell is still out and about fighting the left even in his 90s
My teacher and mentor. I have never met Thomas Sowell, but I have read a lot of his work -- and much of his work is in my waiting list; so I am going to read more and more until he stops producing his masterpieces -- and, believe me, he teaches you more through his books than you will ever learn in school, college or university. Kudos to this guy for his lifelong work of economics, knowledge and what not. I love you, TS. In an age when too many are barking, he is busy collecting facts -- and with those facts, he writes books that are an antidote to nonsense, wokeism and everything bad about the modern leftist and globalist world order. Thank you, Tom Sowell, for opening my eyes and awakening me to the realities of life.
Very much looking forward to the talk, sir! I have watched all of Dr. Sowell's previous talks with Mr. Robinson and am very excited to see this one. Thank you very much! 🙏
Who better epitomizes the term "uncommon knowledge" than Thomas Sowell? Thank you Hoover Inst. for once again publishing another interview with this gentleman, scholar, philosopher, and American citizen.
holy crap, thomas sowell is looking incredible for 93. thank god he is still with us in these times, it's so badly needed. probably the greatest living intellectual giant in the 21st century.
Thomas Sowell is one of our greatest thinkers! Brilliant and kind!
It's an absolute privilege to listen to Dr Sowell and his intelligent analyses, incisive wisdom and strong common sense. His talent at explaining intricacies is superb. Thank you Dr Sowell and thank you Mr Robinson for your talent and skill at asking the right questions and making your guests so welcome.