If you believe that no one was ever corrupted by a book, you have also to believe that no one was ever improved by a book.
Irving KristolRead
A neoconservative is a liberal who's been mugged by reality. A neoliberal is a liberal who's been mugged by reality but has refused to press charges.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote contrasts neoconservatives and neoliberals, suggesting that one's political views can change based on personal experience with reality.
Irving Kristol's quote highlights the transformation of political ideologies through personal experiences, particularly in the context of sharp, sometimes harsh realities. A 'neoconservative' is depicted as someone whose liberal beliefs have been challenged by real-world events, leading to a change in perspective, while a 'neoliberal' retains their original beliefs despite encountering similar realities, indicating a refusal to acknowledge the need for change even when confronted with stark truths.
Themes
PoliticsNeoconservatismNeoliberalismExperienceReality
In practice
Example use cases
During a political debate, one might quote this to illustrate how personal experiences shape political beliefs.
More from Irving Kristol
All quotes βNo modern nation has ever constructed a foreign policy that was acceptable to its intellectuals
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The really difficult moral issues arise, not from a confrontation of good and evil, but from a collision between two goods
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I have observed over the years that the unanticipated consequences of social action are always more important, and usually less agreeable, than the intended consequences.
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There are different kinds of truths for different kinds of people. There are truths appropriate for children; truths that are appropriate for students; truths that are appropriate for educated adults; and truths that are appropriate for highly educated adults, and the notion that there should be one set of truths available to everyone is a modern democratic fallacy. It doesn't work.
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You have to know one big thing and stick with it. The leaders who had one very big idea and one very big commitment. This permitted them to create something. Those are the ones who leave a legacy.
Irving KristolRead
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