"One of its primary functions is to regiment men by force, to make them as much alike as possible and as dependent upon one another as possible, to search out and combat originality among them. All it can see in an original idea is potential change, and hence an invasion of its prerogatives. The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is very apt to spread discontent among those who are." - - H.L. Mencken
Posted by gerardvanderleun at March 29, 2017 12:10 PMIf by 'all government' you mean the ruling crass of elitist self-servers, I would agree with you. The government is the structure of subsystems that is manipulated by the political pimps and their dependent bureaucraps.
Ask Lamont Cranston if you want to know what evil lurks in the hearts and minds of our demented representatives.
Mencken and Orwell were two of the best at pointing out the evils of government.
Posted by: Steve Pierson at March 29, 2017 1:55 PM"...he tries to change it..."
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The only change I am interested in is that everyone that is employed there is vanquished from this planet, nothing less will do.
Posted by: ghostsniper at March 29, 2017 6:05 PMIt is a passive rot when it is not active corruption. Both bring the same result. It cannot be caulked or painted over enough to keep it upright. It needs a good gutting. A fire.
I know. I've worked in the worst of state governments now for 2.5 years ---after a lifetime of my own businesses and other entrepreneurial pursuits. It's a maddening Hell on Earth that hopefully I can leave soon. At least in my vigilance for the taxpayer, I've recouped my own salary from catching vendor over-billing invoices.
When my husband and I talk politics and it reaches a peak pitch, one of us says, "Tuttle" and the other responds with "Buttle" and the we change the subject.
Gerard, some of Mencken's observations are funny, some are too true, but quoting him almost every day is starting to wear thin. He was a professional grump who seemed to take pleasure in putting down anyone and everyone. It's too bad because he also gave us serious and valuable scholarship about the American version of English, which doesn't lend itself to use in your blog. May I suggest you see off the Mencken reflex for awhile and look for other witty and insightful commenters?
Posted by: Rick Darby at March 30, 2017 5:54 AMDon't know how you can possibly say that, Rick. My items using the words of Mencken are about 6 since the blog started some 13 years ago. I have to assume you don't really know what's up with that since you can't search the entries. It may be you have become confused by the quotes at the top of the blog which are generated from a large database of quotes entirely at random. I sure hope that;s the case.
Posted by: Vanderleun at March 30, 2017 8:53 AMDidn't require a response.
It's yours, do it as you see fit, explain nothing.
I'm not sure why he suffers you, 'sniper. I've yet to see one ray of transcendent light from any comment you've contributed and yet, for some reason he values your human input and delights or deigns to humanely respond to whomever makes the effort to communicate.
I'm not sure why he suffers me, since I come here with nothing much to offer but gratitude for his gifts, for the luminous offerings of his well-lit soul.
Posted by: Joan of Argghh! at March 30, 2017 3:09 PM"I've yet to see one ray of transcendent light from any comment you've contributed..."
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And you never will, that's your fault.
I could have slammed you when you bragged about being a gov't drone but I chose not to. But you just couldn't refrain from runnin your mouth could you?
THAT'S why you never will.
Posted by: ghostsniper at March 30, 2017 7:40 PMAs my thoughts are generally prosaic, I like to crib from the great ones.
"We must love them both, those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject, for both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in finding it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas
By the way, I don't much care for what I've read of Mencken, either. He WAS a big grump, always looking down his nose at the common man. He coined the term "booboisie." To each his own.
Posted by: Bunny at March 31, 2017 8:42 AMOh, there is no bragging about being a gov't drone. Absolutely none. It's hopeful I'll leave soon, but it's certain I am there for a purpose, if only to report back to the sane people: kill the administrative state. With fire. Grind its bones to powder. Spread the ashes into the hottest open pit of molten earth and walk away. On that, we can certainly agree.
Posted by: Joan of Argghh! at March 31, 2017 3:45 PM
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