Commencement oratory must eschew anything that smacks of partisan politics, political preference, sex, religion or unduly firm opinion. Nonetheless, there must be a speech: Speeches in our culture are the vacuum that fills a vacuum.

Quote by John Kenneth Galbraith

Topics: Politics Quotes

War remains the decisive human failure.

War remains the decisive human failure.

A person buying ordinary products in a supermarket is in touch with his deepest emotions.

A person buying ordinary products in a supermarket is in touch with his deepest emotions.

Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.

Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.

Where humor is concerned there are no standards - no one can say what is...

Where humor is concerned there are no standards - no one can say what is...

What is called a high standard of living consists, in considerable measure, in arrangements for...

What is called a high standard of living consists, in considerable measure, in arrangements for...

Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.

Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.

The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.

The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.

In the choice between changing ones mind and proving there's no need to do so,...

In the choice between changing ones mind and proving there's no need to do so,...

In all life one should comfort the afflicted, but verily, also, one should afflict the...

In all life one should comfort the afflicted, but verily, also, one should afflict the...

We have escapist fiction, so why not escapist biography?

We have escapist fiction, so why not escapist biography?

All successful revolutions are the kicking in of a rotten door.

All successful revolutions are the kicking in of a rotten door.

Meetings are a great trap. Soon you find yourself trying to get agreement and then...

Meetings are a great trap. Soon you find yourself trying to get agreement and then...

If it is dangerous to suppose that government is always right, it will sooner or...

If it is dangerous to suppose that government is always right, it will sooner or...

The commencement speech is not, I think, a wholly satisfactory manifestation of our culture.

The commencement speech is not, I think, a wholly satisfactory manifestation of our culture.

Total physical and mental inertia are highly agreeable, much more so than we allow ourselves...

Total physical and mental inertia are highly agreeable, much more so than we allow ourselves...

There are few ironclad rules of diplomacy but to one there is no exception. When...

There are few ironclad rules of diplomacy but to one there is no exception. When...

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that...

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that...

A Conservative is a fellow who is standing athwart history yelling 'Stop!'

A Conservative is a fellow who is standing athwart history yelling 'Stop!'

If you're a liberal, anything you say is protected. If you're a conservative, anything you...

If you're a liberal, anything you say is protected. If you're a conservative, anything you...

I was born and raised in the South, which is pretty conservative.

I was born and raised in the South, which is pretty conservative.