I believe that we must distinguish between easiness of abstraction and difficulty of action. Inertia never equals the effort of action; likewise, writing never equals the laboriousness of building. Finally, saying and doing almost never combine. There are also people who chat without risking anything, but this is another story.
The passion for an ideal doesn't have the same journey as the theoretical thought. Likewise, the abstract thought without passion for action (and decision) remains an ephemeral and unproductive phenomenon.
Nevertheless acting also means taking charge of the responsibility for errors (always present) and the risk of exposing oneself to the judgment of those who can decide if they want to clap or not whilst sitting on their chair.
Paraphrasing a quote by E. Flaiano: man is always ready to rush to the help of the winner.
People who theorize without doing, on the other hand, have the advantage of being able to take any form, and for free. They can appear fearlessly in the shape that is most suitable for approval: hero, wise, enlightened. In other words, an actor.
There are also the people who quote the best of other people's work, free of charge as well; they cannibalize knowledge for their own good. And on this ‘quoting culture' there is a lot to say. But as a popular saying goes: who doesn't do anything doesn't make any mistakes.
And on the subject of quotations, I think that one can appreciate the goodness of a concept without necessarily appreciate who formulated it. I say this because even in an imperfect world we must distinguish between form and substance. 
