Mark Twain Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"We are discreet sheep;
we wait to see how the drove is going,
and then go with the drove."

by:	Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835-1910) American author and humorist
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Categories:	Democracy, Humor, Independence, Politics, Power, Proverbs, Reason, Responsibility
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Reader comments about this quote:

-- gdgca, windsor, on
It is even more so now than when Twain said it. One major difference with today, the populous is so apathetic, we don't even see for ourselves how the drove is going, we wait until we're told on the boob tube. By way of example, how many really know the candidates that are running, what they believe, and how they want to take away our freedoms? -- Mike, Norwalk 2
I believe that many, if not most of Obamas supporters are caught up in the hype and have no idea who B.O.is. He came to Austin during the primary race with Hillary and drew a large, rather raucous crowd. I watched as the crowd left and many walked past my office. A motley crew and most looked like they weren't smart enough to pound sand in a rat hole but they were carrying Obama signs. They were buying the B.S. of "Hope" and "Change".Hope is disappointment delayed and we aren't going to like the change. -- jim k, austin 2 1
Hence the one-party system in America -- the two faces of fascism bound together by the power of unlimited debt laid upon the backs of the sheeple -- for their own good, of course. -- E Archer, NYC 3
-- A.WOODS, Gloucester
A famous retirement community south of Ocala is called The Villages. Pleasant enough place, but I am told that the developer is staunchly conservative and publishes a propagandistic newspaper, for his town, prohibits politics per se and will not allow signs on the lawns promoting candidates etc. Can this be true in America? Mike I walked door to door in Ocala for a week, many are yes noncommital or not interested but others welcomed our visits and we engaged in political talk for thirty minutes even with some of oppositie affiliations. Some greeted us saying that they were pleased because no political worker ever comes down their street. It seems that some thorougly enjoyed the give and take of politcal discussion, but alas there were very few others like me and us who actually took the discussion to the people. Jim K you are a riot, your comments above drip with so much venom and the sad thing is you do not even know it -"caught up in hype, raucous crowd, motley crew, looked like they were not smart" What does smart look like anyway Jim? Your comments were just the opposite of a warm up speaker at the Ocala Biden rally. He said Barak and Joe are consummate gentlemen not like the ugliness of John and Sarah. Then Joe Biden came on and he said "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN". It was a great show. Just think Jim K you will have 4 years maybe 8 to chew on your sour grapes, Many people actually are not really happy unless they are miserable, sounds like you may be one of them. Mike obviously has his head in the sand as usual, with crowds of 100,0-00 in St Louis, early voter turn out and election day voting expected to be at record levels and Mike says that the nation is apathetic. No Mike when it comes to knowledge of current events and knowledge of "wha's happenin" it is you that is pathetic.Obviously Twain is wrong since the fact that the drove is split like 51% to 44% plus 5% undecided it is a fact that people are not following the crowd but making up their own minds which way is best. If Twain were correct the 44% and the 5% should be jumping on the 51% bandwagon. -- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas
Waffler, its great that you were out and that you are back, you prove my point. No Republicans or Democrats are talking issues of what a government of laws vs. men is, or what makes up true freedom or liberty, only non-substantive sound bites are being bantered about in how best to continue the dumbing down of the USSA and make the sheeple happy slaves. The apathy that I spoke of was towards natural law, justice, individual sovereign self reliance, freedom and liberty - the masses being enthusiastically caught up in the media frenzy in how best to bring about despotism, tyranny and ultimate chaos. Good to see you back. -- Mike, Norwalk
There are no politicians talking about the source of problems; well, there was one, but the Republicans hated him and the media blackballed him. Waffler, once again, proves everything we've been saying for nearly a year now... polls and statistics are the very "party spirit" that our founders warned us against. It's nice to see that Waffler will get out for his candidate to win, but will stay at home while relief efforts are going on for distressed and displaced victims -- after all, as Waffler said, he pays someone else to do it for him. Get enough people on your side, and the truthiness and wikiality of life will come screaming full steam ahead. I agreed with Waffler's statement a few days ago, that "the more things change, the more they stay the same" -- and I'll reiterate what I said then too: This is why Obama is full of shit. He has all the sweet smelling words of a politician promising change and all the foul smelling politics-as-usual of a douche bag (and the same goes for McCain). If people are REALLY arguing between Obama and McCain as to which would make a better president, they have their head so far up their ass they obviously don't know a damn thing about principle, history, or any facts whatsoever. It is sad that a frenzied society as we are seeing in America today over this election is so enamored with what they illogically conceive as "pragmatic" that they completely dismiss "principle". It doesn't matter what history has proven works and doesn't work -- people ignorantly want what they want, regardless of if it will work or not. There's just no convincing people sometimes -- if they want a plate of shit to eat, sometimes they're not satisfied until they've set down to feast on what they've been hankerin' for. The nation IS apathetic, regardless of its frenzy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdHtW_81kwg -- Logan, Memphis, TN 1
You guys sound like a convention of Star Trekkers or some fringe religious group convention standing around and complaining about the apathy of the world. People as renown as Buffet, Powell and the CEO of Google have commented on the logic, equanimity and generally expressed goodwill, and capability of Obama to be a leader of the American People. Logan knows nothing of history if he does not know how it is that people get into positions of political power, Obama said it nicely last night in Manassas, Va. He expressed how meaningfull it was for him to meet "us" rather than how lucky we are to meet him. Many on this site espouse a politics of individuality while some espouse a politics of community, I think in this election the pendulum is moving a little more towards the community side of the ledger. -- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas
No doubt, the pendulum of society is swinging towards socialism. Candidates in American history used to talk of philosophy, natural rights, and the establishment and legitimacy of government; however, today, we only talk about how we'll push our policy over the next guy -- regardless of individual rights or government legitimacy. Is abortion okay? Well, let the majority decide. Is rape and murder okay, let the majority decide (the people in Rwanda DID decide, but for some reason this wasn't "Democracy"). I often wonder what the girl thinks who is being gang raped of majority decision-all-of-the-time-without-exception. Is sodomy okay? Let the majority decide? Is theft by due process a legitimate course for government? Let the majority decide. Can the workers of any corporation rise against the owner and take over his company? Let the majority deci.... wait a minute? This level of social Democracy -- isn't this... wait! THIS IS SOCIALISM!! Wow! How wonderfully Marxist! Democracy's ultimate manifestation is SOCIALISM!! There are no "property" rights in a Democracy for the same reason there are Socialism... The first reason is the most obvious -- BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SAME THING! Secondly, if the people ever discover that they have the ability of voting a man out of his house, then public greed soon runs rampant until the entire course of society comes crashing down. Thirdly, if legitimacy of government is solely based on society's majority consent, then that society has no absolute rights; after all, it is stipulated that any "rights" of the people were given by the majority (that being the only stipulation for legitimacy), and what the majority can give, the majority can take away. If you agree with any of this shit, you're insane! Such convoluted nonsense is what wreaks in this country! The majority is just a conglomerate of individuals; what magical happenings occur when a majority is convened that "rights" are born?! AH! The founders called this USURPATION! When the majority simply ASSUMES powers out of thin air, this was their definition of usurpation and tyranny! WAKE UP PEOPLE!! History isn't hard to understand! Forget about what you want to hear and simply read it to understand! Yes, this nation IS becoming more Democratic/Socialist; however, CONSTITUTIONALLY, we are a REPUBLIC, not a DEMOCRACY. Once an ignorant majority begins to decide the course of nations, our Republic is destroyed and a Democracy is established in its place. Individuality is now turning into communal living... What do we want? A Republic or a Socialist Democracy? -- Logan, Memphis, TN 3
Very well said, Logan ! The gloves are off ! Herds of cattle or sheep, both are lead to the slaughter. Feeding sometimes very well, just before reaching the butcher. That is what awaits the Wafflers of the world. -- Ronw13, Yachats Or 1
-- Mary - MI

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