I write with two things in mind. I want to be right with my fellow economists. After all, I've made my life as a professional economist, so I'm careful that my economics is as it should be. But I have long felt that there's no economic proposition that can't be stated in clear, accessible language. So I try to be right with my fellow economists, but I try to have an audience of any interested, intelligent person.

We all agree that pessimism is a mark of superior intellect.

People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage.

Things that come from the private sector are in abundant supply; things that depend on the public sector are widely a problem. We're a world, as I said in The Affluent Society, of filthy streets and clean houses, poor schools and expensive television.

If you're rich you can buy books. If you're poor, you need a library.

The urge to consume is fathered by the value system which emphasizes the ability of the society to produce.

A good rule of conversation is never answer a foolish question.