Search / 30 posts tagged H.L. Mencken

“The pre-history of our species is hag-ridden with episodes of nightmarish ignorance and calamity, for which religion used to identify, not just the wrong explanation but the wrong culprit.” These words by Christopher Hitchens in the Introduction to his book The Portable Atheist – Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever (De Capo Press, 2007) summarises the problem religion still causes in society.

With the US coming to the end of a Presidential election cycle, I decided to accept the opportunity to read Notes on Democracy by H. L. Mencken. This was originally written in 1926 by the prominent journalist, but it's rather unnerving in its ability to hit so close to home over 80 years later.

Tonight the Motherland U.S. Federal Government announced an $85 billion bailout of formerly private insurance company AIG. Quite laughably, the government is terming the bailout a “loan”. This is really starting to get interesting. Make no mistake this is more money out of your pocket.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, September 12, 1880:  Henry Louis Mencken. H. L. Mencken at his piano, 1942. Photo from the Library of Congress collection Mencken is the guy who invented the Millard Fillmore bathtub hoax.

The kind of man who demands that government enforce his ideas is always the kind whose ideas are idiotic. Henry Louis Mencken was born in Baltimore this day, September 12, 1880.

Jim Hopkins begins in verse: Pay heed, ye wags and dags and swells Who wouldst provoke sensation Your honed bons mots and epigrams Will not convulse the nation There is no call for polished jests No need to hone your wits For if thou wouldst true stir the mass You simply flash your t***!!!

“They put an off button on the TV for a reason. Turn it off… I really don’t watch much TV.” - President George W. Bush, C-SPAN interview, January 2005 Hell if George says it, really, TV must be bad for ya.

Disturber of the Peace: The Life and Riotous Times of H.L. Mencken, William Manchester, Harper Brothers, 1951 (hardcover), 1967 (paperback), 2008 (Blackstone Audio Book, $29.95). A classic work on an amazing journalist written by a accomplished and highly regarded historian, Disturber of the Peace is still in print as a new audio book on compact disk.

What follows here is a special feature on Cultpunk: anarchist Chaz Bufe’s introduction to H.L. Mencken’s The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, reproduced with the author’s permission. (Mencken’s book on Nietzsche, with Bufe’s introduction, may be purchased here.) I’ve often wished Bufe’s introduction

[This article was written for the new freedom oriented political activist website for candidates and voters: freeople.com, I encourage everyone to register and start participating over there. It really is an excellent site and tool. - Marc] Defining freedom is simple to do with words, but words forever fall short.