P. J. O'Rourke

No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we’re looking for the sources of our troubles, read more

No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we’re looking for the sources of our troubles, we shouldn’t test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power.

Every government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy, the whores are us.

Every government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy, the whores are us.

I wonder how many of the people who profess to believe in the leveling ideas of collectivism and egalitarianism really read more

I wonder how many of the people who profess to believe in the leveling ideas of collectivism and egalitarianism really just believe that they themselves are good for nothing. I mean, how many leftists are animated by a quite reasonable self-loathing? In their hearts they know that they are not going to become scholars or inventors or industrialists or even ordinary good kind people. So they need a way to achieve that smugness for which the left is so justifiably famous. They need a way to achieve self-esteem without merit. Well, there is politics. In an egalitarian world everything will be controlled by politics, and politics requires no merit.

The college idealists who fill the ranks of the environmental movement seem willing to do absolutely anything to save the read more

The college idealists who fill the ranks of the environmental movement seem willing to do absolutely anything to save the biosphere, except take science courses and learn something about it.

Traffic is like a bad dog. It isn't important to look both ways when crossing the street. It's more important read more

Traffic is like a bad dog. It isn't important to look both ways when crossing the street. It's more important to not show fear.