3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken Nine times out of ten, in the arts as in life, there is actually no truth to be discovered there is only error to be exposed.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken Women have simple tastes. They get pleasure out of the conversation of children in arms and men in love.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken 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.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken There are men so philosophical that they can see humor in their own toothaches. But there has never lived a man so philosophical that he could see the toothache in his own humor.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken 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.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken Men have a much better time of it than women. For one thing, they marry later for another thing, they die earlier.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken To be in love is merely to be in a state of perceptual anesthesia – to mistake an ordinary young woman for a goddess.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken War will never cease until babies begin to come into the world with larger cerebrums and smaller adrenal glands.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken No one in this world has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken 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.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken 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.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken 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.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken It is impossible to imagine the universe run by a wise, just and omnipotent God, but it is quite easy to imagine it run by a board of gods.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken The worst government is often the most moral. One composed of cynics is often very tolerant and humane. But when fanatics are on top there is no limit to oppression.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken 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.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken Each party steals so many articles of faith from the other, and the candidates spend so much time making each other’s speeches, that by the time election day is past there is nothing much to do save turn the sitting rascals out and let a new gang in.
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who would want to live in an institution?
3 December 2020 H. L. Mencken Whenever a husband and wife begin to discuss their marriage they are giving evidence at a coroner’s inquest.
