--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oliver Wendell Holmes said, \"Think…" description: "\"Oliver Wendell Holmes said, \"Think things, not words.\" In words, many see a need for \"social justice\" to override \"the dictates of the market.\" In real..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/thomas-sowell-247_being-wrong_oliver-wendell-holmes-said-think-things_1709628.jpg" --- # Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "Think things, not words." In… ![“Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "Think things, not words." In words, many see a need for "social justice" to override "the dictates of the market." In reality, what is called "the market" consists of human beings making their own choices at their own cost. What is called "social justice" is government…” quote by Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/thomas-sowell-247_being-wrong_oliver-wendell-holmes-said-think-things_1709628.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/thomas-sowell-247_being-wrong_oliver-wendell-holmes-said-think-things_1709628.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/thomas-sowell-247_being-wrong_oliver-wendell-holmes-said-think-things_1709628.jpg) > “Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "Think things, not words." In words, many see a need for "social justice" to override "the dictates of the market." In reality, what is called "the market" consists of human beings making their own choices at their own cost. What is called "social justice" is government imposition of the notions of third parties, who pay no price for being wrong.” [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Markets are driven by individual choices; social justice often imposes external values without cost. **In simple terms:** Markets = choices; justice = imposed ideas. Key Takeaway Weigh freedom against imposed ideals. Themes economics politics ethics freedom Mood critical analytical skeptical Type political economic When to use this quote - policy making - business strategy - public debate - personal finance Key Concepts choice theory government intervention social policy Questions to Reflect On - What costs do you associate with market freedom? - When should government intervene? A Different Perspective Risk of ignoring collective welfare needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wrong/) [Called Market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-market-686044/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Dictates Market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictates-market-1232728/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holmes/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Imposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imposition/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oliver-wendell-holmes/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) [Think Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-things/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Third parties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/third-parties/) [Thirds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirds/) ## Related quotes > [But the doctors in the past, as the review of the evidence showed, branded Jenner, Semmelweis, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., Pasteur, Lister, Koch and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-douglas/but-the-doctors-in-the-past-as-the-review-of-the-evidence-showed/) [Paul Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-douglas/) > [There's such a kind of complicated line between politics and the law and we don't sit around and say, hey, you know, what would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/there-s-such-a-kind-of-complicated-line-between-politics-and-the-law/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [The very idea of photography is as Oliver Wendell Holmes said in the 19th century, "it's a mirror with a memory."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-very-idea-of-photography-is-as-oliver-wendell-holmes-said-in-the/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [“Economies about money are called market economies. 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Yet those with the vision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/if-the-truth-is-boring-civilization-is-irksome-the-constraints/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Four things have almost invariably followed the imposition of controls to keep prices below the level they would reach under supply and demand in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/four-things-have-almost-invariably-followed-the-imposition-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“A man is not born to run away." Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (1921).\*”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-maxwell-brown/a-man-is-not-born-to-run-away-justice-oliver-wendell-holmes-1921/) [Richard Maxwell Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-maxwell-brown/) > [“They ended up at the Old Corner Bookstore, which Brian had read about in a tour guide to Boston. 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