"Any man who afflicts the human race..." - Quote by H L Mencken
Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood.
More by H L Mencken
“The average man never really thinks from end to end of his life. The mental activity of such people is only a mouthing of cliches. What they mistake for thought is simply a repetition of what they have heard. My guess is that well over 80 percent of the human race goes through life without having a single original thought.”
“Governments, whatever their pretensions otherwise, try to preserve themselves by holding the individual down ... Government itself, indeed, may be reasonably defined as a conspiracy against him. Its one permanent aim, whatever its form, is to hobble him sufficiently to maintain itself.”
“[Art is] an attempt to escape from life.”
More on Ideas
“Our volitional habits depend, then, first, on what the stock of ideas is which we have; and, second, on the habitual coupling of the several ideas with action or inaction respectively.”
“All your ideas may be solid or even good .. But you have to Actually EXECUTE on them for them to matter.”
“That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.”
More on Communication
“People will tell you most of the story… and I’ve learned that the part they neglect to tell you is often the most important part. People hide the truth because they’re afraid.”
“A certain person wondered why a big strong girl like me wouldn't keep a job which paid a normal salary. I took my time to lead her and to read her every page. Even minimal people can't survive on minimal wage. A certain person wondered why I wait all week for you. I didn't have the words to describe just what you do. I said you had the motion of the ocean in your walk, and when you solve my riddles you don't even have to talk.”
“Words should be used as tools of communication and not as a substitute for action”