Demagogue: One who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.
— H. L. Mencken
One thought on “Mencken On Demagogues”
Ah the wisdom of days gone by. If we read more Menken we would all be saner–the extent to which you resist his insights is directly related to your being indoctrinated–gore vidal similar, or even you.
I note Shakespear in prior post. Think of the repeated stupidity of U.S. Presidents who bring their inept cronies from the past to the the white house. Obama–Jarrett, Emanuel, Clinton Vince Foster, Carter his various georgia buds. If they had read Henry the V they would have seen that as prince hal was elevated he took his role seriously and left his falstaffian friends behind….
Seriously, a bit of Bacon, Shakspear, Montaigne, Mencken and well you would have a sounder mind than most of the U.S. (assuming that people do read and understand, you do as do a few others–the ordinary reading of yesteryear is now viewed as challenging and obtuse and the province of weirdos–such is how our decline gathers momentum…
Ah the wisdom of days gone by. If we read more Menken we would all be saner–the extent to which you resist his insights is directly related to your being indoctrinated–gore vidal similar, or even you.
I note Shakespear in prior post. Think of the repeated stupidity of U.S. Presidents who bring their inept cronies from the past to the the white house. Obama–Jarrett, Emanuel, Clinton Vince Foster, Carter his various georgia buds. If they had read Henry the V they would have seen that as prince hal was elevated he took his role seriously and left his falstaffian friends behind….
Seriously, a bit of Bacon, Shakspear, Montaigne, Mencken and well you would have a sounder mind than most of the U.S. (assuming that people do read and understand, you do as do a few others–the ordinary reading of yesteryear is now viewed as challenging and obtuse and the province of weirdos–such is how our decline gathers momentum…