--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The vision of the anointed is one in…" description: "\"The vision of the anointed is one in which ills as poverty, irresponsible sex, and crime derive primarily from 'society,' rather than from individual c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/thomas-sowell-247_anointed_the-vision-of-the-anointed-is-one-in-whi_2417618.jpg" --- # The vision of the anointed is one in which ills as… ![“The vision of the anointed is one in which ills as poverty, irresponsible sex, and crime derive primarily from 'society,' rather than from individual choices and behavior. To believe in personal responsibility would be to destroy the whole special role of the anointed, whose vision casts them in…” quote by Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/thomas-sowell-247_anointed_the-vision-of-the-anointed-is-one-in-whi_2417618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/thomas-sowell-247_anointed_the-vision-of-the-anointed-is-one-in-whi_2417618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/thomas-sowell-247_anointed_the-vision-of-the-anointed-is-one-in-whi_2417618.jpg) > “The vision of the anointed is one in which ills as poverty, irresponsible sex, and crime derive primarily from 'society,' rather than from individual choices and behavior. To believe in personal responsibility would be to destroy the whole special role of the anointed, whose vision casts them in the role of rescuers of people treated unfairly by 'society'.” [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. The anointed view attributes social problems to systemic causes, shielding individuals from responsibility and elevating themselves as saviors. **In simple terms:** Blaming society instead of personal choices protects the elite’s self‑image. Key Takeaway Recognize personal agency in social issues. Themes responsibility social policy individualism elitism morality Mood critical analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy debates - education reform - community outreach - public health campaigns Key Concepts blaming systemic analysis personal agency Questions to Reflect On - How does personal responsibility change social solutions? - What role should systemic factors play? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on systemic causes can ignore personal accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-choice/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personal responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-responsibility/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Treated unfairly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treated-unfairly/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [A state should protect citizens in general and women in particular. And in the 21st Century, every society needs to respect the individual choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-fernandez/a-state-should-protect-citizens-in-general-and-women-in-particular/) [Alberto Fernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-fernandez/) > [Freedom of religion, as the Founding Fathers saw it, was not just the right to associate oneself with a certain denomination but the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/freedom-of-religion-as-the-founding-fathers-saw-it-was-not-just-the/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [In or out of marriage, abortion is not an individual choice. At a minimum, three lives are involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/in-or-out-of-marriage-abortion-is-not-an-individual-choice-at-a/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [Once you accept the fact that people have 'individual choices' and they're 'free' to make those choices. Free to make choices means without being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/once-you-accept-the-fact-that-people-have-individual-choices-and-they/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [“When there’s no social pressure behind it, respectful behavior becomes a decision, an individual choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/when-there-s-no-social-pressure-behind-it-respectful-behavior-becomes/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [It's an individual's choice to do whatever they please to their own bodies. However I have a massive problem with the notion that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-solomon/it-s-an-individual-s-choice-to-do-whatever-they-please-to-their-own/) [Stacey Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-solomon/) > [... patriarchy creates megapatterns that affect us all--even as we forge different individual choices within them--just as do themegapatterns of nationalism or racism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/patriarchy-creates-megapatterns-that-affect-us-all-even-as-we-forge/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [In an essay 10 years ago, I pointed out that it is utterly logical for polygamy rights to follow gay rights. After all, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/in-an-essay-10-years-ago-i-pointed-out-that-it-is-utterly-logical-for/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [The usual marriage in traditional cultures was arranged for by the families. It wasn't a person-to-person decision at all. . . . In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-usual-marriage-in-traditional-cultures-was-arranged-for-by-the/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Happiness is actually an individual choice, even in the midst of negative circumstances. It's not something our employers can give to us, though they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/happiness-is-actually-an-individual-choice-even-in-the-midst-of/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [“Based upon the tournament results and the formal propositions, four simple suggestions are offered for individual choice: do not be envious of the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-axelrod/based-upon-the-tournament-results-and-the-formal-propositions-four/) Robert Axelrod > [From about age 17 to 25, a time some people describe as "beautiful youth," it was "arranged" for me to live with two different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wang-jianwei/from-about-age-17-to-25-a-time-some-people-describe-as-beautiful/) [Wang Jianwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wang-jianwei/) > [Law has at least two roles: one is to define and regulate the limits of acceptable behavior. The other is to teach principles for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/law-has-at-least-two-roles-one-is-to-define-and-regulate-the-limits/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [Any group or "collective," large or small, is only a number of individuals. A group can have no rights other than the rights of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/any-group-or-collective-large-or-small-is-only-a-number-of/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Thus, and not otherwise, the world was made. Either something or nothing must depend on individual choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/thus-and-not-otherwise-the-world-was-made-either-something-or-nothing/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More by Thomas Sowell > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [There is no bigger waste of time than doing 90% of what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/there-is-no-bigger-waste-of-time-than-doing-90-of-what-is-necessary/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/if-you-have-always-believed-that-everyone-should-play-by-the-same/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“In 1962, Democratic President John F. Kennedy, like both Democratic and Republican Presidents and Secretaries of the Treasury in earlier years, pointed out that “it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/in-1962-democratic-president-john-f-kennedy-like-both-democratic-and/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Ideological bigotry has become the norm on even our most prestigious campuses, where students can go for years without reading or hearing anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/ideological-bigotry-has-become-the-norm-on-even-our-most-prestigious/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Bailing out people who made ill-advised mortgages makes no more sense that bailing out people who lost their life savings in Las Vegas casinos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/bailing-out-people-who-made-ill-advised-mortgages-makes-no-more-sense/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“One third of all Scots in the mid-nineteenth century moved from one county to another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/one-third-of-all-scots-in-the-mid-nineteenth-century-moved-from-one/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The difference is that we have the hardest and most painful evidence that there was a Holocaust. But, for the global warming scenario that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-difference-is-that-we-have-the-hardest-and-most-painful-evidence/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“Just as price fluctuations allocate scarce resources which have alternative uses, price controls which limit those fluctuations reduce the incentives for individuals to limit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/just-as-price-fluctuations-allocate-scarce-resources-which-have/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The greatest danger to the liberal vision are facts about the consequences of liberalism itself and the laws, policies, and ways of life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-greatest-danger-to-the-liberal-vision-are-facts-about-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Do all children have some inherent right to live in America if they have done nothing wrong? If not, then why should the children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/do-all-children-have-some-inherent-right-to-live-in-america-if-they/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“those parts of the British Isles without the advantage of coal deposits or ports, industrialization was as handicapped as in other countries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/those-parts-of-the-british-isles-without-the-advantage-of-coal/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The whole idea of equal justice under law is completely incompatible with the idea of judges deciding cases according to "empathy".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-whole-idea-of-equal-justice-under-law-is-completely-incompatible/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) [Explore all 823 Thomas Sowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More Anointed quotes > [If I woke up every day attempting to be my father, I would fail miserably. I think he was anointed. He was chosen by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/if-i-woke-up-every-day-attempting-to-be-my-father-i-would-fail/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [“Would you marry you? Be the right person before seeking the right person. Solomon's bride is carefully chosen for the good of his family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ben-zehabe/would-you-marry-you-be-the-right-person-before-seeking-the-right/) [Michael Ben Zehabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ben-zehabe/) > [ “together with Him and made us sit down together \[giving us \[5\]joint seating with Him\] in the heavenly sphere \[by virtue of our being\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/together-with-him-and-made-us-sit-down-together-giving-us-5-joint/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The anointed don't like to talk about painful trade-offs. They like to talk about happy "solutionsthat get rid of the whole problem- at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-anointed-don-t-like-to-talk-about-painful-trade-offs-they-like-to/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [There are too many leaders anointed because they have a public voice - television, radio, or record, or whatever. That even includes myself. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/there-are-too-many-leaders-anointed-because-they-have-a-public-voice/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [“Rulers are not anointed. They are created by the void of self-mastery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/rulers-are-not-anointed-they-are-created-by-the-void-of-self-mastery/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-smith/the-spirit-of-the-lord-is-on-me-because-he-has-anointed-me-to/) [Scotty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-smith/) > [This is not the time to shrink back in fear. This is the time to move forward in Faith. Get up every morning knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-sibiya/this-is-not-the-time-to-shrink-back-in-fear-this-is-the-time-to-move/) [Elton Sibiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-sibiya/) > [Against the LORD God JAH Rastafari and against his Anointed, saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-youth/against-the-lord-god-jah-rastafari-and-against-his-anointed-saying/) [Big Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-youth/) > [No politician wants to be challenged. They all say they want to be, but we all want to be anointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/no-politician-wants-to-be-challenged-they-all-say-they-want-to-be-but/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [“ACT10.38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/act10-38-how-god-anointed-jesus-of-nazareth-with-the-holy-ghost-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Lord, Passover comes - Calvary is near. You are anointed in love. Prepared for burial - You know what is to come. Prophet ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holdsworth/lord-passover-comes-calvary-is-near-you-are-anointed-in-love-prepared/) [David Holdsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holdsworth/) > [Whether elected or appointed he considers himself the Lord's anointed, and indeed the ointment lingers on him so thick you can't get your fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/whether-elected-or-appointed-he-considers-himself-the-lord-s-anointed/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“But in truth, I was different now, burning and anointed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tayari-jones/but-in-truth-i-was-different-now-burning-and-anointed/) [Tayari Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tayari-jones/) > [“I am too anointed to be disappointed and too blessed to be stressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-deuhs/i-am-too-anointed-to-be-disappointed-and-too-blessed-to-be-stressed/) Michele Deuhs Browse all 42 Anointed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The vision of the anointed is one in which ills as poverty, irresponsible sex, and crime derive primarily from 'society,' rather than from individual choices and behavior. 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