"The fact is that the average man's..." - Quote by H L Mencken
The fact is that the average man's love of liberty is nine-tenths imaginary, exactly like his love of sense, justice and truth... Liberty is not a thing for the great masses of men. It is the exclusive possession of a small and disreputable minority, like knowledge, courage and honor. It takes a special sort of man to understand and enjoy liberty - and he is usually an outlaw in democratic societies.
More by H L Mencken
More on Liberty
“[We should be] determined... to sever ourselves from the union we so much value rather than give up the rights of self-government... in which alone we see liberty, safety and happiness.”
“They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
“The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.”
More on Freedom
“I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things.”
“In truth , mankind cannot be saved from without, by schoolmasters or any other sort of masters: it can only be lamed and enslaved by them. It is said that if you wash a cat it will never again wash itself. This may or may not be true : what is certain is that if you teach a man anything he will never learn it; and if you cure him of a disease he will be unable to cure himself the next time it attacks him.”
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”