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, Speech Quotes

It is a far, far better thing to have a firm anchor in nonsense than...

It is a far, far better thing to have a firm anchor in nonsense than...

It has been the acknowledged right of every Marxist scholar to read into Marx the...

It has been the acknowledged right of every Marxist scholar to read into Marx the...

Liberalism is, I think, resurgent. One reason is that more and more people are so...

Liberalism is, I think, resurgent. One reason is that more and more people are so...

In the United States, though power corrupts, the expectation of power paralyzes.

In the United States, though power corrupts, the expectation of power paralyzes.

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...

Humor is richly rewarding to the person who employs it. It has some value in...

Humor is richly rewarding to the person who employs it. It has some value in...

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

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

Humor is richly rewarding to the person who employs it. It has some value in...

Humor is richly rewarding to the person who employs it. It has some value in...

Commencement oratory must eschew anything that smacks of partisan politics, political preference, sex, religion or...

Commencement oratory must eschew anything that smacks of partisan politics, political preference, sex, religion or...

All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness...

All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness...

Money differs from an automobile or mistress in being equally important to those who have...

Money differs from an automobile or mistress in being equally important to those who have...

There are times in politics when you must be on the right side and lose.

There are times in politics when you must be on the right side and lose.

Wealth is not without its advantages and the case to the contrary, although it has...

Wealth is not without its advantages and the case to the contrary, although it has...

Few people at the beginning of the nineteenth century needed an adman to tell them...

Few people at the beginning of the nineteenth century needed an adman to tell them...

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

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

There's a certain part of the contented majority who love anybody who is worth a...

There's a certain part of the contented majority who love anybody who is worth a...

Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is...

Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is...

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.

Man is young as long as he can repeat his emotions; woman, as long as...

Man is young as long as he can repeat his emotions; woman, as long as...

Love is bullshit. Emotion is bullshit. I am a rock. A jerk. I'm an uncaring...

Love is bullshit. Emotion is bullshit. I am a rock. A jerk. I'm an uncaring...