The Vision of the Anointed

[marycatelli]

The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy by Thomas Sowell

An analysis of certain processes in modern day thought.

The logic by which crusaders demand certain laws or institutions or changes to effect X -- their critics say it will instead produce Z -- it is implemented, and Z results, and the crusaders without losing a beat claim that their reforms mean that it's not worse than it appears.

The problems of assuming that the causal effects have much, if anything, to do with the intentions of those who implement a program

The tendency to declare some things categorically more important than others and so pursuing them at all costs -- including human lives.

Common rhetorical fallacies.

And much more. A good book.

Comments

[harvey-rrit.livejournal.com]

This assessment seems to overlook the phenomenon of result Z being taken as proof that the critics are responsible for sabotaging result X, and must be denied any say in government, the economy, and their own personal affairs. (Meanwhile the only problem is we don't have enough of the change to produce X, so we can get the resources, to enact more change, from the saboteurs.)

[marycatelli]

Yeah, the kulaks and wreckers theory is a perennial problem. But it's only an aspect of "our programs always work."