H. L. Mencken Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"The most dangerous man, to any government,
is the man who is able to think things out for himself,
without regard to prevailing superstition or taboo."

by:	H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American Journalist, Editor, Essayist, Linguist, Lexicographer, and Critic
Source:	Minority Report
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Categories:	Free Thought, Government, Independence, Reason, Security
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Reader comments about this quote:

There is always the government's canned answer on both sides of the proverbial coin. The truth is usually found out side the the governments established mis-information and prevailing superstition and taboos. A great little clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8OvQOTkMHI&feature=related -- Mike, Norwalk 6
The most dangerous man is usually someone that has things figured out and is at odds with government propoganda. That same man is usually armed, as he damned well should be. We need to understand that we are not actually at odds with our government so much as its owners. The politicians themselves are almost entirely irrellevant. -- J Carlton, Calgary 6
And speaking of irrellevant politicians, with the country tanking into socialism, Senator Orrin Hatch is urging the Justice Department to investigate the BCS. Congress screws up everything they touch and now they want to mess with college football. -- jim k, austin 6
What kind of government is he talking about. The US people and their society have been among, if not the most, inventive and creative people in history and may still be. If you accept that premise then it would appear to say that our government has not been the kind that is uptight about inventiveness or one that has many established superstitions or taboos. As usual the above three commentators our out there in some kind of strange voodoo land where up is down, left is right, and facts are fictions, and fictions are facts. -- Waffler, Smith 5 1
Waffler, as usual you are the first one to advocate for big controlling government and its entire propoganda campaign. What government "was" has nothing to do with what it now "is". The only one here who is out of the loop on current events...is you. I suggest you expand your informational horizons, and maybe try doing it with an open mind. -- J Carlton, Calgary 5
Well, at least we agree on this one; well, nearly. Perfect! The most dangerous institution for any government is education and that is why we are in such a mess; both from a freethinking point of view and ability to question authority. The dumber we are the more easily lead - just look at the list of books the religious extremists are trying to ban from schools and that will tell the picture. -- RBESRQ 5
Robert, by religious, what sect are you speaking of. The non-politically correct religions that would promote non-violation of being (mental, physical, intellectual, emotional, sexual, etc.), history as it actually occurred, alternate faith based concepts of creation (sense there is no proven cause of creation), a science based look at global weather changes, or what? -- Mike, Norwalk 4
Carlton, Mr. Mencken wrote this some time prior to 1956, so what government is he talking about. You obviously think he wrote it yesterday and his target was Obama. Shallow you are today my friend. -- Waffler, Smith 4
Point taken. Shallow? No, angry, sick and tired of the government/media blitz taking us down the path of destruction. And even angrier and more tired of the morons who cheer it on. I'm one of the men who can "think things out for himself" and I'm actually quite insulted by the affront to all common sense I see everytime I see the "News". Its pretty much all propogandist hogwash. -- J Carlton, Calgary 4
Yep. -- E Archer, NYC 3

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