With optimism, you look upon the sunny side of things. People say, Studs, youre an optimist. I never said I was an optimist. I have hope because whats the alternative to hope? Despair? If you have despair, you might as well put your head in the oven. – Studs Terkel
Ive always felt, in all my books, that theres a deep decency in the American people and a native intelligence – providing they have the facts, providing they have the information. – Studs Terkel
Thats why I wrote this book: to show how these people can imbue us with hope. I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action, his health improves. Something happens to him or to her biologically. Its like a tonic. – Studs Terkel
Nonetheless, do I have respect for people who believe in the hereafter? Of course I do. I might add, perhaps even a touch of envy too, because of the solace. – Studs Terkel
We are watching industries crumble, Wall Street firms disappear, unemployment spike, and unprecedented government intervention. And our designated opinion leaders want to know: Is Obama up this week? Is he down? And is his leadership style more like Bill Clintons, or Abraham Lincolns? – Thomas Frank