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When philosophers try to be politicians they generally cease to be philosophers.

Walter Lippmann

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Walter Lippmann
Age: 85 †
Born: 1889
Born: September 23
Died: 1974
Died: December 14
Journalist
Politician
Writer
New York City
New York
Philosopher
Cease
Generally
Politician
Trying
Philosophers
Politicians

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The news is not a mirror of social conditions, but the report of an aspect that has obtruded itself.
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Social movements are at once the symptoms and the instruments of progress. Ignore them and statesmanship is irrelevant fail to use them and it is weak.
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The present crisis of Western democracy is a crisis in journalism.
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Yet this corporate being, though so insubstantial to our senses, binds, in Burkes words, a man to his country with ties which though light as air, are as strong as links of iron. That is why young men die in battle for their countrys sake and why old men plant trees they will never sit under.
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You cannot endow even the best machine with initiative the jolliest steamroller will not plant flowers.
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We know that it is possible to harness desire to many interests, that evil is one form of a desire, and not the nature of it.
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True opinions can prevail only if the facts to which they refer are known if they are not known, false ideas are just as effective as true ones, if not a little more effective.
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The man who raises new issues has always been distasteful to politicians. He musses up what had been so tidily arranged.
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A more conscious life is one in which a man is conscious not only of what he sees, but of the prejudices with which he sees it.
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It is not the idea as such which the censor attacks, whether it be heresy or radicalism or obscenity. He attacks the circulation of the idea among the classes which in his judgment are not to be trusted with the idea.
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Life can be swamped by sex very easily if sex is not normally satisfied.
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Usually it is the stereotyped shape assumed by an event at an obvious place that uncovers the run of the news.
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The Bill of Rights does not come from the people and is not subject to change by majorities. It comes from the nature of things. It declares the inalienable rights of man not only against all government but also against the people collectively.
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The consent of the governed is more than a safeguard against ignorant tyrants: it is an insurance against benevolent despots as well.
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He has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct though it is inconvenient, unprofitable, or dangerous to do so.
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The emancipated woman has to fight something worse than the crusted prejudices of her uncles she has to fight the bewilderment in her own soul.
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A really good diplomat does not go in for victories, even when he wins them.
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The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.
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The balancing of present wants against the future is really the central problem of ethics.
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Successful ... politicians are insecure and intimidated men. They advance politically only as they placate, appease, bribe, seduce, bamboozle or otherwise manage to manipulate the demanding and threatening elements in their constituencies.
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