WIST Quotations

Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Sr. -- Article (1857-11), “Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table,” Atlantic Monthly

Dave — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:52:51 +0000

Of course everybody likes and respects self-made men. It is a great deal better to be made in that way than not to be made at all.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809-1894) American poet, essayist, scholar
Article (1857-11), “Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table,” Atlantic Monthly
(Source)

Collected in Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table, ch. 1 (1858).

Mills, C. Wright -- The Power Elite (1956)

Dave — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 17:44:00 +0000

The entrepreneur, in the classic image, was supposed to have taken a risk, not only with his money but with his very career; but once the founder of a business has taken the big jump he does not usually take serious risks as he comes to enjoy the accumulation of advantages that lead him into great fortune. If there is any risk, someone else is usually taking it. Of late, that someone else […] has been the government of the United States. If a middle-class businessman is in debt for $50,000, he may well be in trouble. But if a man manages to get into debt for $2 million, his creditors, if they can, may well find it convenient to produce chances for his making money in order to repay them.

C. Wright Mills (1916-1962) American sociologist, academic, author [Charles Wright Mills]
The Power Elite (1956)
(Source)

Keynes, John Maynard -- “Clissold” (1927)

Dave — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 17:39:41 +0000

Most men love money and security more, and creation and construction less, as they get older.

John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946) English economist
“Clissold” (1927)

Drucker, Peter F. -- (Attributed)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Wherever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.

Peter F. Drucker (1909-2005) Austrian-American business consultant
(Attributed)

Broadly attributed to Drucker, but no actual writing or citeable speech can be found.