H. L. Mencken Quotes - BrainyQuote

Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage. - H. L. Mencken

Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage. H. L. Mencken

Science, Art, Democracy, Government

On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. H. L. Mencken

Great, Heart, Day, Reach, House, White

A judge is a law student who marks his own examination papers. - H. L. Mencken

A judge is a law student who marks his own examination papers. H. L. Mencken

Law, Judge, Student, Examination, Own

Legend: A lie that has attained the dignity of age. - H. L. Mencken

Legend: A lie that has attained the dignity of age. H. L. Mencken

History, Age, Lie, Legend, Dignity

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. - H. L. Mencken

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. H. L. Mencken

Simple, Problem, Wrong, Clear, Complex

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. - H. L. Mencken

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. H. L. Mencken

Wisdom, Ignorance, Democracy, Belief

In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican. H. L. Mencken

Thankful, Politics, I Am, World, Me, Sin

A man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is married. - H. L. Mencken

A man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is married. H. L. Mencken

Man, Fool, Know, Married, May, He

Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods. - H. L. Mencken

Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods. H. L. Mencken

Election, Auction, Stolen, Sale, Every

The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable. H. L. Mencken

Man, Government, Think, Dangerous, Most

Top 10
H. L. Mencken
Quotes

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. H. L. Mencken

Politics, Safety, Aim, Practical, Keep

It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office. H. L. Mencken

Honesty, Hate, I Am, Me, Common Sense

Criticism is prejudice made plausible. - H. L. Mencken

Criticism is prejudice made plausible. H. L. Mencken

Criticism, Prejudice, Made, Plausible

Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under. - H. L. Mencken

Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under. H. L. Mencken

Man, Government, Ashamed, Lives, Decent

God is a comedian, playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. - H. L. Mencken

God is a comedian, playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. H. L. Mencken

God, Laugh, Afraid, Audience, Playing

One of the most mawkish of human delusions is the notion that friendship should be eternal, or, at all events, life-long, and that any act which puts a term to it is somehow discreditable. H. L. Mencken

Friendship, Events, Human, Should, Act

Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. H. L. Mencken

Man, Hands, Flag, Black, Begin, Normal

An idealist is one who, on noticing that roses smell better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup. H. L. Mencken

Better, Roses, Soup, Smell, Will, Than

Man is always looking for someone to boast to; woman is always looking for a shoulder to put her head on. H. L. Mencken

Man, Woman, Looking, Someone, Head, Her

The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom. H. L. Mencken

Wisdom, Age, Grow, More, Older, Distrust

I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant. H. L. Mencken

Truth, Lie, Believe, I Believe, Free

Honor is simply the morality of superior men. - H. L. Mencken

Honor is simply the morality of superior men. H. L. Mencken

Honor, Men, Morality, Superior, Simply

Immorality: the morality of those who are having a better time. - H. L. Mencken

Immorality: the morality of those who are having a better time. H. L. Mencken

Time, Better, Morality, Who, Having

I never smoked a cigarette until I was nine. - H. L. Mencken

I never smoked a cigarette until I was nine. H. L. Mencken

Never, Cigarette, Nine, Until, Smoked

We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart. H. L. Mencken

Respect, Beautiful, Children, Religion

The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is fear - fear of the unknown, the complex, the inexplicable. What he wants above everything else is safety. H. L. Mencken

Fear, Man, Safety, Unknown, Emotion

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Robert A. Heinlein

William Arthur Ward

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