Hendrik Willem Van Loon said this quote

Any formal attack on ignorance is bound to fail because the masses are always ready to defend their most precious possession - their ignorance.

~ Hendrik Willem Van Loon

For tolerance (and you must remember this when you grow older), is of very recent origin and even the people of our own so-called modern world are apt to be tolerant only upon such matters as do not interest them very much.

~ Hendrik Willem Van Loon

The history of the world is the record of a man in quest of his daily bread and butter.

~ Hendrik Willem Van Loon

The arts are an even better barometer of what is happening in our world than the stock market or the debates in congress.

~ Hendrik Willem Van Loon