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Quote by John Ralston Saul

“We are the raison d'être of the entire system. We are also the employers of those in public office and in the public service. Why should we accept from them a discourse which suggests contempt for us and for the democratic system?”

Quote by John Ralston Saul

Author

John Ralston Saul

John Ralston Saul is a Canadian author, political theorist, and public intellectual. He is known for his profound insights into democracy, civil society, and globalization. Saul's work covers a wide range of topics, including political philosophy, history, and cultural commentary. more

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“Happy family: The existence and maintenance of [this] is thought to make a politician fit for public office. According to this theory, the public are less concerned by whether or not they are effectively represented than by the need to be assured that the penises and vaginas of public officials are only used in legally sanctioned circumstances.”

Needs Used Existence Theory Politician Fit Circumstances Office Concerned Officials Assured Maintenance Public Office Happy Family Public Officials

Book:The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

Source: The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

“Which is ideology? Which not? You shall know them by their assertion of truth, their contempt for considered reflection, and their fear of debate.”

Knows Reflection Debate Ideology Contempt Assertion

Book:The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

Source: The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

“We have more than two options. A critique of reason does not have to be a call for the return of superstition and arbitrary power. Our problems do not lie with reason itself but with our obsessive treatment of reason as an absolute value. Certainly it is one of our qualities, but it functions positively only when balanced and limited by the others.”

Doe Two Reason Problem Lying Values Quality Return Function Absolutes Treatment Superstitions Balanced Arbitrary Positively Critique Obsessive Two Options

Author:John Ralston Saul

“In the humanist ideal, the mainstream is where interesting debate, the generating of new ideas and creativity take place. In rational society this mainstream is considered uncontrollable and is therefore made marginal. The centre ground is occupied instead by structures and courtiers.”

Made Ideas Interesting Creativity Ideals Structure Debate Rational Humanist Mainstream New Ideas Centre Uncontrollable Ideas And Creativity Courtiers

Author:John Ralston Saul

“In all earlier civilizations, it should be remembered, commerce was treated as a narrow activity and by no means the senior sector in society.”

Should Mean Civilization Activity Treated Remembered Commerce Senior

Book:The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

Source: The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

“Moral crusade: Public activity undertaken by middle-aged men who are cheating on their wives or diddling little boys. Moral crusades are particularly popular among those seeking power for their own personal pleasure, politicians who can't think of anything useful to do with their mandates, and religious professionals suffering from a personal inability to communicate with their god.”

“Myrmecophaga jubata: The anteater. The existence of this predator demonstrates that thinking 71 percent of the time, as ants do, won't prevent you from being eaten. Thinking less than that, as humans do, will almost guarantee it.”

Thinking Humans Existence Percent Guarantees Ants Predator Thinking Less

Author:John Ralston Saul

“Panic: A highly underrated capacity thanks to which individuals are able to indicate clearly that something is wrong. Given their head, most humans panic with great dignity and imagination. This can be called democratic expression or practical common sense.”

Humans Able Individual Given Imagination Common Expression Capacity Dignity Democratic Practicals Common Sense Thanks Panic Underrated

Book:The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

Source: The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

“It is the considered opinion of most members of our rational élites that, in any given difference of opinion with reality, reality is wrong.”

Reality Given Differences Opinion Members Rational Differences Of Opinion

Book:The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

Source: The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

“The recession is over." This phrase has been used twice a year since 1973 by government leaders throughout the West. Its meaning is unclear. See: Depression.”

Years Has Beens Government Used Leader West Phrases Recessions Unclear

Book:The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense

Source: The Doubter's Companion: A Dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense