Adam Smith pointed out that there were three things that make us more prosperous, in a general sort of way: freedom to pursue our own self-interest; specialization, which he called division of labor; and freedom of trade. P. J. O'Rourke adamcalldivision share on social
I think that humor has become a principle means of communication among Americans about politics. P. J. O'Rourke americancommunicationhumor Change image and share on social
The great majority of Baghdad is a slum - a lot of it's new, but it's still slum. It's usually this concrete-block, one-room design with a door and a window, arranged one-up, one-down, often with a shop with nothing in it on the first floor, and then a one-room apartment above it. There's street after street after street of that stuff. P. J. O'Rourke apartmentarrangebaghdad share on social
New Hampshire polling data are unreliable because, when you call the Granite State's registered Republicans and independents in the middle of dinner and ask them who they're going to vote for, they have a mouth full of mashed potatoes and you can't understand what they say. P. J. O'Rourke calldatumdinner share on social
America gives every appearance of being a nation besotted with trashiness - divorce, illegitimacy, casual Fridays. P. J. O'Rourke americaappearancebesot Change image and share on social
The people who despise America are the editors of the 'New Statesman.' Their green-card applications must have been turned down. P. J. O'Rourke americaapplicationcard Change image and share on social
Sometimes the right response to evil is an appeal to powerful and effective social organization - an appeal to civilization itself. P. J. O'Rourke appealcivilizationeffective Change image and share on social
The words 'Space Age' have a quaint, nostalgic tone - sitting on midcentury modern furniture watching 'The Jetsons.' P. J. O'Rourke agefurniturejetsons Change image and share on social
In Hong Kong there is agglomeration beyond my fondest imaginings. The Kowloon district claims a population density four times that of New York City. P. J. O'Rourke agglomerationcityclaim Change image and share on social
Preachers at black churches are the last people left in the English-speaking world who know the schemes and tropes of classical rhetoric: parallelism, antithesis, epistrophe, synecdoche, metonymy, periphrasis, litotes - the whole bag of tricks. P. J. O'Rourke antithesisbagblack share on social