Intellectuals and Society

By: Thomas Sowell

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's 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.

©2009 Thomas Sowell (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Excellent

If
I had to choose a single book to have my children and those I love read, this would be it.

Impactful, powerful

This audio book requires quiet-time to properly digest content. Worth every minute of listening time

Enlightening but unnecessarily long.

Learning about the short comings of the intelligencia was was enlightening, but this book could have been almost 3 hours shorter and not much would’ve been lost from the story. It wasn’t even densely packed with knowledge, there were just dozens of pages that could’ve been omitted and the story would’ve stayed the same

A masterpiece of logic and history!

One of my favorite Thomas Sowell books I’ve read. He does a pretty great job demolishing the stupidity of people‘s opinions on things for which they’re not experts. Also their willingness to allow that to influence society through their propaganda.

An eye opening survey of why we think what we think in Western society...

Superb narration and superb review of how we became woke. A remarkable feat of clear-sighted thinking. An real exercise in awakening to how well intellectuals have shaped us into being and nothingness.

A Brilliant Book

Just like all of Sowell's writings, this one also informs and enlightens. Easy to understand with facts and statistics.

Explains so much of what is happening now!!

Incredibly well done and loaded with facts that most of us are not aware of.

Sowell is brilliant as always

Once again, Thomas Sowell delivers an insightful and informative piece of work that illuminates the role of intellectuals and the intelligencia in our society. One of many must-reads/listens by Sowell.

Required reading

While not entertaining, this book is a masters class in understanding society. I think that everyone should read this book. It is a little dry as it is mainly factual argument. But, well presented and needed for freedom to exist. Thanks for the education I did not receive in school.

Must listen

Critically important work that should be required reading/listening, particularly in our current age and time.