The military caste did not originate as a party of patriots, but as a party of bandits
Interpretation
The military class began as a group of lawless individuals rather than true patriots.
H. L. Mencken's quote suggests that the military caste, often revered for its role in protecting a nation, originally emerged from a more dubious background marked by banditry rather than genuine patriotism. This perspective challenges the conventional glorification of military forces, instead highlighting the complex and sometimes morally ambiguous origins of those who are tasked with wielding power and authority in a society.
In practice
Discussing the historical roots of military institutions in a philosophy class.
I know a good many men of great learning-that is, men born with an extraordinary eagerness and capacity to acquire knowledge. One and all, they tell me that they can't recall learning anything of any value in school. All that schoolmasters managed to accomplish with them was to test and determine the amount of knowledge that they had already acquired independently-and not infrequently the determination was made clumsily and inaccurately.
It takes a long while for a naturally trustful person to reconcile himself to the idea that after all God will not help him
It is the theory of all modern civilized governments that they protect and foster the liberty of the citizen; it is the practice of all of them to limit its exercise, and sometimes very narrowly.
The central belief of every moron is that he is the victim of a mysterious conspiracy against his common rights and true deserts.
The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy.
It is my conviction that no normal man ever fell in love, within the ordinary meaning of the term, after the age of thirty.
To annihilate the world by annihilation of oneself is the deluded height of desperate egoism.
Distrust compassion; prefer dignity for yourself and others. Don't be afraid to be thought arrogant or selfish.
I will begin with this confession: whatever I have done in the course of my life, whether it be good or evil, has been done freely; I am a free agent.
To grow old is to grow common. Old age equalizes -- we are aware that what is happening to us has happened to untold numbers from the beginning of time. When we are young we act as if we were the first young people in the world.
As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may seem, am satisfied that it does not agree with my constitution.
We don't have the time to completely be ourselves. We only have the room to be happy.
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