The Vision of the Anointed
by Thomas Sowell · first published 1995
64% recommend36% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Argues that policy debates are shaped by the self-image of an intellectual elite, and is an incisive introduction to why modern politics looks so divided. Suits readers curious about political thought.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
This critique of failed social policies of the past 30 years sees what has happened not as isolated mistakes, but as the consequence of the tainted vision of the "anointed", leading to crises in education, crime, and family dynamics, and to other social pathologies.
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Anyone who enjoys Sowell's perspective and is interested in (and irritated by) modern politics should also take a look at "The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy".
on “Ask HN: Which book helped you understand the world?” ↗>Goals aren't results. To liberals they are. Go read Thomas Sowell's Vision of the Anointed.
on “Why is European broadband faster and cheaper? Blame the government” ↗Thomas Sowell, wrote a great book in 1995 about the phenomenon you describe. The Vision of the Anointed lays out this problematic tendency. It was quite prevalent 100 years ago as anxiety arose about the industrial revolution (radio, telephone, automobile), and labor moved from the farm (14hr days during…
on “Extreme climate change has arrived in America” ↗…currency export restrictions) and whose education achievement and incomes surpass whites... Indeed poor black immigrants to this country do extremely well also. All this is detailed extensively in the vision of the anointed by Thomas sowell (an accomplished black man from this era)
on “How did American “wokeness” jump from elite schools to everyday life?” ↗Yes, terrific books. Absolutely recommended. I look forward to celebrating his 100th birthday. If you've not come across him The Vision of the Anointed would make for a interesting introduction. 'Dangers to a society may be mortal without being immediate. One such danger is the prevailing social vision of our time - and the dogmatism with which the…
on “Thomas Sowell's greatest insight – Konstantin Kisin [video]” ↗In similar veins, his 'A Conflict of Visions' and 'The Vision of the Anointed' are two stunning incisive books that show pretty directly why we are where we are now, as divided as we are now. Likely corresponds strongly with Haidt's 'The Righteous Mind', referred to elsewhere…
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗…grief. For people that live in constant anxiety about all the things politicians and the news tell you about, I recommend this book, what can it hurt giving it a read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vision_of_the_Anointed
on “Vitalik Buterin's Techno-Optimism” ↗When it comes to redlining, sowell directly addresses it in in Vision of the Anointed. He points out that the kinds of houses blacks tend to purchase tends to be ignored in studies that find widespread discrimination. For example blacks are much more likely to want to buy multi family…
on “Thomas Sowell interview” ↗> In his 1995 book, The Vision of the Anointed, Sowell argues persuasively that, “The family is inherently an obstacle to schemes for central control of social processes. Therefore the anointed [essentially his proto-term for “woke”] necessarily find…
on “Encountering Thomas Sowell” ↗…prevalent vision are viewed not merely wrong in fact but also in a state of "sin" (by not following the elites propagated vision). In fact, one can write entire books on this very topic (e.g T. Sowell, vision of the anointed, and reference therein). (Way out is only one way [in a sentence] which does not lead to a totalitarian, elite-we-know-better-for-you society; let people bear the cost of their decisions. Not have 3rd…
on “Why people believe Covid conspiracy theories: could folklore hold the answer?” ↗Just to add a bit more credence to this post, I'd point to Thomas Sowell's "The Vision of the Anointed" which is 30 years old and discusses the intrusion of the federal government in shaping culture from the perspective of the right over many decades. I've noticed that left leaning individuals tend to…
on “Talkin’ about a Revolution” ↗