Provocative Thoughts For Such Times as These

Over the last week, I have had a dozen or so people shoot me an email with an inquiry as to my thoughts regarding what is happening in D.C., primarily ObamaCare. For me, the real issue has all along been about freedom: free individuals and free markets. With that in mind, I offer these quotes from the American social writer and philosopher, Eric Hoffer. (1902-1983)


“Unless a man has talents to make something of himself, freedom is an irksome burden. Of what avail is freedom to choose if the self be ineffectual? We join a mass movement to escape individual responsibility, or, in the words of the ardent young Nazi, ‘to be free from freedom.’”

“To the frustrated, freedom from responsibility is more attractive than freedom from restraint. They are eager to barter their independence for relief from the burdens of willing, deciding and being responsible for inevitable failure. They willingly abdicate the directing of their lives to those who want to plan, command and shoulder all responsibility.”

“Absolute power corrupts even when exercised for humane purposes. The benevolent despot who sees himself as a shepherd of the people still demands from others the submissiveness of sheep.”

“To the frustrated, freedom from responsibility is more attractive than freedom from restraint. They are eager to barter their independence for relief from the burdens of willing, deciding and being responsible for inevitable failure. They willingly abdicate the directing of their lives to those who want to plan, command and shoulder all responsibility.”

“The basic test of freedom is perhaps less in what we are free to do than in what we are free not to do.”

“The aspiration toward freedom is the most essentially human of all human manifestations.”