It is not materialism that is the chief curse of the world, as pastors teach, but idealism. Men get into trouble by taking their visions and hallucinations too seriously.

Quote by H L Mencken

Topics: H L Mencken Quotes

No man ever quite believes in any other man. One may believe in an idea...

No man ever quite believes in any other man. One may believe in an idea...

Nevertheless, it is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended...

Nevertheless, it is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended...

The only cure for contempt is counter-contempt.

The only cure for contempt is counter-contempt.

A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a...

A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a...

Puritanism. The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.

Puritanism. The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.

Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.

Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.

When women kiss it always reminds one of prize-fighters shaking hands.

When women kiss it always reminds one of prize-fighters shaking hands.

In war the heroes always outnumber the soldiers ten to one.

In war the heroes always outnumber the soldiers ten to one.

The most costly of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true....

The most costly of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true....

A society made up of individuals who were all capable of original thought would probably...

A society made up of individuals who were all capable of original thought would probably...

Wealth - any income that is at least one hundred dollars more a year than...

Wealth - any income that is at least one hundred dollars more a year than...

We must be willing to pay a price for freedom.

We must be willing to pay a price for freedom.

The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to...

The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to...

We are here and it is now. Further than that, all human knowledge is moonshine.

We are here and it is now. Further than that, all human knowledge is moonshine.

I hate all sports as rabidly as a person who likes sports hates common sense.

I hate all sports as rabidly as a person who likes sports hates common sense.

Every man is his own hell.

Every man is his own hell.

War will never cease until babies begin to come into the world with larger cerebrums...

War will never cease until babies begin to come into the world with larger cerebrums...

The common argument that crime is caused by poverty is a kind of slander on...

The common argument that crime is caused by poverty is a kind of slander on...

Theology is the effort to explain the unknowable in terms of the not worth knowing.

Theology is the effort to explain the unknowable in terms of the not worth knowing.

A professor must have a theory as a dog must have fleas.

A professor must have a theory as a dog must have fleas.