High places Quote by Ambrose Bierce
“DULLARD, n. A member of the reigning dynasty in letters and life. The Dullards came in with Adam, and being both numerous and sturdy have overrun the habitable world. The secret of their power is their insensibility to blows; tickle them with a bludgeon and they laugh with a platitude. The Dullards came originally from Boeotia, whence they were driven by stress of starvation, their dullness having blighted the crops. For some centuries they infested Philistia, and many of them are called Philistines to this day. In the turbulent times of the Crusades they withdrew thence and gradually overspread all Europe, occupying most of the high places in politics, art, literature, science and theology. Since a detachment of Dullards came over with the Pilgrims in the _Mayflower_ and made a favorable report of the country, their increase by birth, immigration, and conversion has been rapid and steady. According to the most trustworthy statistics the number of adult Dullards in the United States is”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Dullards” (1880) in The Devil’s Dictionary
Satirically critiques the pervasive mediocrity and insensitivity of the masses throughout history.
In simple terms: Calls out widespread dullness and its societal impact.
Key Takeaway
Beware and challenge complacent conformity.
Themes
satire
history
social criticism
Mood
cynical
reflective
Type
satirical
critical
When to use this quote
- political analysis
- education reform
- media literacy
- community activism
Key Concepts
cultural stagnation
elite dominance
mass conformity
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms sustain societal dullness?
- How can critical thinking be promoted?
A Different Perspective
Satire can alienate those it aims to awaken.
![“One-act [plays] are not strikingly remunerative, but, on the other hand, the veriest dullard could not spend more than a week in writing one.” quote by Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d52/arnold-bennett-3325_quote_one-act-plays-are-not-strikingly-remuner_1124013.jpg)
![“[In mountaineering, if] we look for private experience rather than public history, even getting to the top becomes an optional narrative rather than the main point, and those who only wander in high places become part of the story.” quote by Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1e6/rebecca-solnit-569_high-places_in-mountaineering-if-we-look-for-private_78831.jpg)
![“Listen to these words of [apostle] Paul: "We war not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness that's in high places." It's in "high places" that the plot against Black and Brown, and poor White is going…” quote by Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/152/louis-farrakhan-1264_apostle-paul_listen-to-these-words-of-apostle-paul-we_95649.jpg)
