QuoteProject
You may scoff at the Tooth Fairy if you like. But the Tooth Fairy's approach has gotten more politicians elected than any economist's analysis.
Thomas Sowell
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote suggests that whimsical ideas can sometimes be more effective in influencing people than rational analysis.

Thomas Sowell's quote points out that appealing and fantastical concepts, such as the Tooth Fairy, can resonate powerfully with the public, often swaying their opinions and ultimately leading to politicians' success in elections. This illustrates how emotional connection and relatable storytelling in politics can sometimes overshadow factual analysis or economic reasoning in persuading the electorate.

Themes

Tooth FairyPoliticsCommunicationInfluenceElection

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about the importance of emotional appeal in politics.

More from Thomas Sowell

Stopping illegal immigration would mean that wages would have to rise to a level where Americans would want the jobs currently taken by illegal aliens.
Thomas SowellRead
Blacks were not enslaved because they were black but because they were available. Slavery has existed in the world for thousands of years. Whites enslaved other whites in Europe for centuries before the first black was brought to the Western hemisphere. Asians enslaved Europeans. Asians enslaved other Asians. Africans enslaved other Africans, and indeed even today in North Africa, blacks continue to enslave blacks.
Thomas SowellRead
One of the reasons for conspiracy theories is an assumption that people in high places always know what they are doing. When they do something that makes no sense, devious reasons are imagined by conspiracy theorists, when in fact it may be due to plain old ignorance and incompetence.
Thomas SowellRead
You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that for bureaucrats procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing.
Thomas SowellRead
The real problem, both in discussions of mass shootings and in discussions of gun control, is that too many people are too committed to a vision to allow mere facts to interfere with their beliefs, and the sense of superiority that those beliefs give them.
Thomas SowellRead
Why is history important? Without history, many people have no idea how many of today's half-baked ideas have been tried, again and again - and have repeatedly led to disaster. Most of these ideas are not new. They are just being recycled with re-treaded rhetoric.
Thomas SowellRead

Similar quotes

The defense budget is more than a piggy bank for people who want to get busy beating swords into pork barrels.
George H. W. BushRead
This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.
Will RogersRead
When people hear the term 'political prisoner,' especially on the Left, it becomes a kind of abstraction. Folks are aware of injustice, and they're aware that there are folks in prison who are in prison, you know, largely because of their activism.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
In so strong a light, nevertheless, do they appear to the Secretary, that, on their due observance, at the present critical juncture, materially depend, in his judgment, the individual and aggregate prosperity of the citizens of the United States; their relief from the embarrassments they now experience; their character as a people; the cause of good government.
Alexander HamiltonRead
Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid.
John MccainRead
The politics of partisanship and the resulting inaction and excuses have paralyzed decision-making, primarily at the federal level, and the big issues of the day are not being addressed, leaving our future in jeopardy.
Michael BloombergRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.