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 Government
The theory seems to be that as long as a man is a failure he is one of God's children, but that as soon as he succeeds he is taken over by the Devil. H. L. Mencken Failure
Strike an average between what a woman thinks of her husband a month before she marries him and what she thinks of him a year afterward, and you will have the truth about him. H. L. Mencken Anniversary
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
The basic fact about human existence is not that it is a tragedy, but that it is a bore. It is not so much a war as an endless standing in line. H. L. Mencken War
Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who would want to live in an institution? H. L. Mencken Marriage
The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom. H. L. Mencken Wisdom
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 Politics
No one in this world, so far as I know - and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me - has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. H. L. Mencken Intelligence
Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. H. L. Mencken Wisdom
Whenever a husband and wife begin to discuss their marriage they are giving evidence at a coroner's inquest. H. L. Mencken Marriage
It is not materialism that is the chief curse of the world, as pastors teach, but idealism. Men get into trouble by taking their visions and hallucinations too seriously. H. L. Mencken Men
Bachelors know more about women than married men; if they didn't they'd be married too. H. L. Mencken Marriage
The basic fact about human existence is not that it is a tragedy, but that it is a bore. It is not so much a war as an endless standing in line. H. L. Mencken Life
Bachelors know more about women than married men; if they didn't they'd be married too. H. L. Mencken Men
No one in this world, so far as I know - and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me - has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. H. L. Mencken Money
Say what you will about the ten commandments, you must always come back to the pleasant fact that there are only ten of them. H. L. Mencken Funny
For it is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest that holds human associations together. Our friends seldom profit us but they make us feel safe. Marriage is a scheme to accomplish exactly that same end. H. L. Mencken Marriage