“Books are better than television, the internet, or the computer for educating and maintaining freedom. Books matter because they state ideas and then attempt to thoroughly prove them. They have an advantage precisely because they slow down the process, allowing the reader to internalize, respond, react and transform. The ideas in books matter because time is taken to establish truth, and because the reader must take the time to consider each idea and either accept it or, if he rejects it, to think through sound reasons for doing so. A nation of people who write and read is a nation with the attention span to earn an education and free society if they choose.” BookMediaAttention SpanThomas Jefferson Education Author:Oliver DeMille
“Most people spend less than 20 hrs a year learning about freedom, yet many wonder why it's in decline. Don't fight upstream. Instead, turn it around.” PeopleYearsTurnsFightingWonderDecline Author:Oliver DeMille
“We tend to let our freedoms slip away because they are tucked away in documents and policies that we don't ever deal with directly.” DealsPolicySlipsDocuments Author:Oliver DeMille
“The founding American generations did something that almost no others have ever done. They read the fine print! They taught their children to read bills, laws, court cases, legislative debates, executive decrees, and bureaucratic policies. They read them in schoolrooms and at home....They said they would consider their children uneducated if they didn't read such things.” IfsChildrenSaidDoneHomeLawCasesGenerationsPolicyTaughtFineBillsCourtDebateExecutivesPrintThey SaidFoundingDecreeUneducatedLaw CourtsCourt CasesFine Print Author:Oliver DeMille
“No matter what the Constitution says, it won't endure if the people don't closely read it and demand that it be followed.” PeopleIfsMatterDemandConstitutionNo Matter WhatEndure Author:Oliver DeMille
“Until the American majority is willing to live within its means, it can hardly force its political leaders to do so.” MeanPoliticalForceLeaderWillingMajorityPolitical Leaders Author:Oliver DeMille
“Our middle class majority, deeply in personal debt, elects political leaders who increase our benefits. Then we vote them out because we dislike the soaring national debt.” PoliticalLeaderClassMiddleBenefitsVoteIncreaseMajorityDebtMiddle ClassDislikeSoarPolitical LeadersNational Debt Author:Oliver DeMille
“Government intervention is not solving the problems, and in fact the governments around the world that are intervening the most in their economies are struggling more.” WorldFactsProblemGovernmentStruggleEconomyAround The WorldInterventionInterveningGovernment Intervention Author:Oliver DeMille
“The U.S. should take notes: Government overspending and a campaign of alienating investors and small business isn't really the best way to boost the economy or overcome massive unemployment.” WayShouldGovernmentEconomyOvercomingNotesCampaignsBest WayMassiveInvestorsUnemploymentSmall BusinessBoostOverspending Author:Oliver DeMille
“If Americans are frustrated with Congress, imagine their frustration with a group of international bank officials running our ecomomy-bankers who may not have as their motive either to see us out of debt to them or to strengthen our economy, society, international influence, or other elements of our way of life.” IfsWayMayRunningEconomyImagineGroupsInfluenceElementsInternationalCongressDebtMotiveOfficialsFrustrationFrustratedBankers Author:Oliver DeMille
“To prepare youth for success in entrepreneurial (and free) cultures, education tends to emphasize originality, creativity, breadth, depth and leadership skills rather than rote memorization, standardized curricula or socialization. The latter skill set is vital in societies with strong upper classes employing the lower castes, but the former is essential to free democratic nations.” CultureStrongNationsClassCreativityYouthSkillsEssentialsDemocraticDepthFormerLatterOriginalityEntrepreneurialBreadthCastesUpper ClassEmployingLeadership SkillsSocializationMemorization Author:Oliver DeMille
“When you look into the eyes of your children and grandchildren, when you picture their greatness and potential, do you feel that they are getting the education that is up to par with who they were born to become?” FeelsLooksChildrenEyeBornGreatnessOur ChildrenYour ChildrenGrandchildrenChildren And Grandchildren Author:Oliver DeMille
“Teachers teach and students educate. Students are the only true educators. Historically, every other method of education has failed. Education occurs when students get excited about learning and apply themselves; students do this when they experience great teachers.” TeachTeacherStudentsMethodExcitedEducateEducatorGreat Teacher Author:Oliver DeMille
“Our generation, and that of our children, will face its share of crises, just like every generation in the past. When those calls come, will you be ready? The answer depends on how we educate the next generation.” ChildrenPastFacesNextAnswersGenerationsShareReadyDependsOur ChildrenCrisisEducateNext GenerationOur Generation Author:Oliver DeMille
“Virtually every subject is most effectively learned directly from the greatest thinkers, historians, artists, philosophers, scientists, prophets and their original works. Great works inspire greatness. Mediocre or poor works inspire mediocre or poor learning. The great accomplishments of humanity are the key to quality education.” ArtistHumanityPoorQualitySubjectsGreatnessInspireKeysScientistOriginalsPhilosopherAccomplishmentProphetThinkerHistorianMediocreGreat WorkQuality EducationGreat Accomplishment Author:Oliver DeMille
“There are really only two ways to teach. You can inspire the student to voluntarily and enthusiastically choose to do the hard work necessary to get a great education, or you can attempt to require it of him.” WayTwoHardTeachStudentsInspireHard WorkTwo WaysGreat Education Author:Oliver DeMille
“Instead of asking, "What can I do to make these students perform?" the great teacher says, "Something's not working! I must not be truly inspirational. What do I need to do to spark their passion to do the hard work to get a superb education?"” NeedsHardPassionTeacherStudentsHard WorkAskingSparksGreat TeacherSuperb Author:Oliver DeMille
“Great teachers and schools expect and nurture quality work and quality performance. Great teachers inspire and demand quality, ever urging their students to higher levels of excellence. They shun mere conformity and expect their students to think and perform to their ever-increasing potential.” ThinkingSchoolLevelsQualityTeacherStudentsInspireHigherDemandPerformancesExcellenceMereConformityNurtureGreat TeacherHigher LevelQuality Work Author:Oliver DeMille
“Education means the ability to think independently and creatively, and development of the skill of applying one's knowledge in dealing with people and situations in the real world.” PeopleThinkingWorldMeanRealAbilitySituationDevelopmentSkillsReal WorldDealing With People Author:Oliver DeMille
“Find a model of great education in history and you will find a great teacher who inspired students to make the hard choice to study. Wherever you find such a teacher, you will also find self-motivated students who study hard. When students study hard, learning occurs.” SelfHardChoicesStudyTeacherStudentsModelsInspiredMotivatedGreat TeacherGreat EducationSelf Motivated Author:Oliver DeMille
“What the great mentor is always looking for is a person who is willing to tap his genius, to put it through the refiner's fire, to do the hard work to develop it. Indeed, mentoring is the medieval art of alchemy-turning plain old human steel into hearts and minds of gold.” MindHumansHeartPersonsArtHardFireWillingHard WorkGeniusGoldGreat MenMentorSteelHeart And MindMedievalAlchemyMentoringRefiner's Fire Author:Oliver DeMille
“Those who wait for the future to happen before aligning their educational goals with the new realities will be left behind in the new ecomomy. A better path is to know what is ahead and prepare-this is education.” KnowsRealityHappensLeftWaitingGoalBehindsPathEducationalLeft BehindThose Who Wait Author:Oliver DeMille
“Our children must be offered an education up to par with thier potential-and equal to the needs of the Twenty-first century.” NeedsFirstsChildrenCenturyEqualTwentiesOur Children Author:Oliver DeMille
“Perhaps our most debilitating rut as a culture is a dependence on experts. Until we kick this dependency, how can we rise above the statistics and become a nation of entrepreneurs and leaders? The answer, as challenging as it is, is for entrepreneurs to show us the way, and to keep at it until more of us start to heed.” WayShowsCultureNationsChallengesAnswersLeaderEntrepreneurExpertsKicksStatisticsDependenceRise AboveHeedDependencyRuts Author:Oliver DeMille
“Indeed, we have reached a level of complexity where simplicity itself is suspect. For example, the simple reality is that jobs migrate to less difficult nations. It's the old Rule of Capital: Capital goes where it is treated well.” WellsRealityJobsNationsDifficultSimpleLevelsExampleSimplicityTreatedComplexitySuspectsMigrate Author:Oliver DeMille
“In nations that have become too complex, taxes and regulation cause at least a doubling of the amount employers must spend on labor. Many experts call this 'progress,' but the natural result is that many companies respond by sending their operations and jobs to less costly nations.” JobsNationsCausesNaturalResultsCompanyProgressAmountTaxesLaborComplexesOperationsExpertsRegulationEmployers Author:Oliver DeMille
“The best thing government can do now is get out of the way and let small businesses innovate, hire and grow. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to happen unless Washington stops increasing regulations, taxes and other blocks to business growth.” WayGovernmentHappensGrowsGrowthCan DoTaxesBlockBest ThingsRegulationSmall BusinessUnlikelyBusiness Growth Author:Oliver DeMille
“Small business people have gotten us out of nearly all modern recessions - not by waiting for others to fix things or turning to government, but rather by applying leadership, inventiveness, creativity and originality.” PeopleGovernmentWaitingCreativityModernOriginalitySmall BusinessRecessionsInventiveness Author:Oliver DeMille
“"Thanks," many small businesspeople are saying, "but no thanks. Forget the government credits and loan programs, and just get rid of all the bureaucratic red tape and high taxes which make it hard to build businesses, hire employees and meet our payroll."” HardGovernmentForgetTaxesRedProgramCreditThanksEmployeeTapeSmall BusinessLoanPayrollRed TapeHigh Taxes Author:Oliver DeMille
“This is the crisis! Difficulty getting credit, slow growth, high unemployment, low consumer confidence-these are challenges entrepreneurs can overcome with hard work, smart risk and tenacious teamwork. This is precisely what entrepreneurs do!” HardGrowthChallengesRiskHard WorkSmartLowsOvercomingDifficultyCrisisEntrepreneurCreditConsumersTeamworkUnemploymentTenaciousSlow GrowthWork SmartConsumer Confidence Author:Oliver DeMille
“Whatever happens in Washington, Wall Street, Hollywood or Silicon Vally in the next ten years, it will be irrelevant if our families don't come together at a much higher level. Without a renaissance of family, no new candidate can rise to save us. No new legislation, policy or program will heal our land.” IfsYearsHappensTogetherNextLevelsStreetsLandPolicyWallHigherTenProgramHollywoodHealOur FamilyCandidatesLegislationIrrelevantRenaissanceWhatever HappensHigher LevelSilicon Author:Oliver DeMille
“Will we follow the course of societies past that have lost their way and crumbled under the devastating forces of economic upheaval, war and other crises? Or we pull together as families and communities to create a brighter future?” WayWarTogetherPastCoursesLostForceCommunityEconomicCrisisBrighterUpheavalBrighter Future Author:Oliver DeMille
“What is left that only the family can do? According to the new economy - nothing. The leading view today is 'It Takes a Village,' that even love can be outsourced to teachers, coaches, clubs and mentors. The truth is that it does take a village, a community, but a community of families working, playing, cooperating and facing obstacles together, not a community of government institutions.” DoeGovernmentTodayTogetherLeftCan DoCommunityViewsEconomyTeacherTruth IsInstitutionsClubsObstaclesCoachesVillageMentorCooperatingOutsourcedIt Takes A Village Author:Oliver DeMille
“The war is for the family. The battle for their children's education and their grandchildren's freedom is as real to them as if they could witness the clangs of bayonets on the field or hear the blasts of mortars in the harbor.” IfsChildrenWarRealFieldsBattleWitnessGrandchildrenHarborsBlastMortarBayonets Author:Oliver DeMille
“When we discover this and give our lives to it, we are leaders. This is the Path of Leadership. Whatever our age or phase of life, we must enter and stay on the Path of Leadership. The future of the world depends upon it-upon you.” WorldGivingAgeLeaderPathOur LivesDependsPhasesPhases Of Life Author:Oliver DeMille
“The next step is for the great teachers to arise, and for them to clearly understand the challenges ahead and mentor accordingly. Where most generations focus the education of their children on preparing to make a living or succeed financially, leadership generations are taught by parents who see a higher role for their children.” ChildrenNextParentChallengesStepsRolesFocusTeacherGenerationsTaughtHigherSucceedAriseMentorPreparingGreat TeacherNext Steps Author:Oliver DeMille
“Jefferson, Madison and many others taught that complex laws and codes were sure signs of oppression. They agreed with Montesquieu, Lock and Hume and that laws must be simple....and indeed that the entire legal code must be simple enough that every citizen knows the entire law. If a person doesn't know the law....he shouldn't be held liable for breaking it or freedom is greatly reduced.” IfsKnowsPersonsEnoughLawSimpleTaughtCitizensComplexesOppressionCodeLocksLiableMadisonHumeMontesquieu Author:Oliver DeMille
“Today we are at a crossroads. The technology is available for two great options: The massive surveillance state, or the renewed freedom of a deeply-involved citizenry thinking independently and holding the government to the highest standards.” ThinkingTwoStatesGovernmentTodayTechnologyInvolvedHighestStandardsAvailableMassiveSurveillanceCrossroadsCitizenrySurveillance State Author:Oliver DeMille
“It is time to stop talking so much about what kind of leaders we want, to give less lip service to what Washington or Wall Street or Hollywood should do, and to act a lot more like citizens who actually deserve freedom.” WantGivingShouldKindTalkingLeaderStreetsWallCitizensDeserveHollywoodLipsLip Service Author:Oliver DeMille
“When we let our freedoms slip away without a fight or even without concern, we take freedom, prosperity and happiness away from our posterity. What kind of people do that? Are we such people? These are questions each of us must face.” PeopleKindFacesFightingConcernProsperitySlipsPosterity Author:Oliver DeMille
“The problem in modern America is not that an individual can't make a difference, but that nearly all of us are too distracted to even consider trying.” TryingProblemAmericaIndividualDifferencesModernMaking A DifferenceDistractedModern America Author:Oliver DeMille
“Americans must either choose big government and be willing to pay for and submit to it, or they must move toward smaller, less intrusive government and be willing to enjoy fewer government programs.” BigsGovernmentMovingEnjoyPayWillingProgramFewerSubmitBig GovernmentGovernment Programs Author:Oliver DeMille
“The shortest distance between where we are today as a nation and an effective return to increasing our freedoms and widespread prosperity is for regular American citizens to read and study the great books.” BookTodayNationsStudyReturnCitizensDistanceProsperityAmerican CitizensGreat Book Author:Oliver DeMille
“Nothing will have more impact on the future of the world than for each of us to find out why we were born and to do it. Human beings tend to do this when parents, teachers and other mentors invite us to it.” WorldHumansParentBornHuman BeingsTeacherImpactInvitesMentor Author:Oliver DeMille
“Prosperity and abundance in a society depend on a certain type of person: the producer. Societies with few producers stagnate and decay, while nations with a large number of producers vibrantly grow-in wealth, freedom, power, influence and the pursuit of happiness.” PersonsCertainNationsGrowsWealthNumbersInfluenceTypeDependsProsperityPursuitProducersAbundanceDecayPursuit Of HappinessLarge Numbers Author:Oliver DeMille
“In our day, a vast majority of people is dependent either on an employer or the government-or both. One way to rate your level of independence might be to measure how long you can survive, feed your family and live in your home after your employer stops paying you anything.” PeopleWayLongHomeGovernmentMightLevelsIndependenceMajorityRateOne WayOur FamilyDependentEmployers Author:Oliver DeMille
“Real value means people value-and creating value really means helping people choose better lives.” PeopleMeanRealHelpingValuesCreatingBetter LifeHelping PeopleReally MeanMean PeopleReal ValueCreating Value Author:Oliver DeMille
“Producers think in the language of abundance rather than scarcity, take initiative instead of waiting for someone else to provide them with opportunity, and boldly venture wise risks instead of surrendering to fear that they can't make a difference.” ThinkingOpportunityLanguageWaitingDifferencesWiseRiskProducersAbundanceMaking A DifferenceInitiativeVentureScarcity Author:Oliver DeMille
“Intrapreneurs work and lead with the Producer mindset. They run their department, team, or company with an abundance mentality, an attachment to true principles, and a fearless and informed faith in people and quality.” PeopleRunningQualityCompanyPrinciplesTeamMindsetProducersFearlessAbundanceDepartmentAttachmentMentalityAbundance Mentality Author:Oliver DeMille
“Intrapreneurs consider them-selves on a mission to help society, to give it what it needs and wants, to truly serve others and improve themselves. Like all producers, they believe in a deep accountability, refuse to assign blame, don't believe in failure, and give their heart and sould to truly serve the customer and benefit society.” WantNeedsGivingBelieveHeartSelfHelpingBenefitsBlameDon't BelieveRefuseMissionsCustomersProducersAccountabilityHeart And SoulNeeds And Wants Author:Oliver DeMille
