Uncommon Sense – Pithy sayings and brilliant observations

Featured

The song of the tyrant

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.

Featured

Tyranny or liberty

When the people fear their government there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

Laissez-faire has not failed

It is not laissez-faire that has failed. That would be an ill day for men. What has failed is the courage to see what is true and speak it to the people, to point to the true remedies.

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

Courage first

Courage is the first of all the virtues because if you haven’t courage, you may not have the opportunity to use any of the others.

Swimming against the stream

Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions that differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.