--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But though every normal man thus…" description: "\"“But though every normal man thus cherishes the soothing unction that he is the intellectual superior of all women, and particularly of his wife, he co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/h-l-mencken-2-5374_intelligence_but-though-every-normal-man-thus-cherish_260222.jpg" --- # But though every normal man thus cherishes the soothing… ![“But though every normal man thus cherishes the soothing unction that he is the intellectual superior of all women, and particularly of his wife, he constantly gives the lie to his pretension by consulting and deferring to what he calls her intuition. That is to say, he knows by experience that her…” quote by H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/h-l-mencken-2-5374_intelligence_but-though-every-normal-man-thus-cherish_260222.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/h-l-mencken-2-5374_intelligence_but-though-every-normal-man-thus-cherish_260222.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/h-l-mencken-2-5374_intelligence_but-though-every-normal-man-thus-cherish_260222.jpg) > ““But though every normal man thus cherishes the soothing unction that he is the intellectual superior of all women, and particularly of his wife, he constantly gives the lie to his pretension by consulting and deferring to what he calls her intuition. That is to say, he knows by experience that her judgment in many matters of capital concern is more subtle and searching than his own, and, being disinclined to accredit this greater sagacity to a more competent intelligence, he takes refuge behind the doctrine that it is due to some impenetrable and intangible talent for guessing correctly, some half mystical super sense, some vague (and, in essence, infra-human) instinct.”” [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mencken critiques the male belief of intellectual superiority over women, noting they secretly rely on women's intuition for complex decisions while attributing it to mystical talent. **In simple terms:** Men see women as smarter but deny it, calling it intuition. Key Takeaway Recognize and value women's insight openly. Themes gender ego intelligence intuition Mood reflective critical Type analytical social commentary When to use this quote - marriage counseling - business negotiations - political decision making - family planning Key Concepts patriarchy cognitive bias social perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you acknowledge women's contributions without mystifying them? - What impact does this bias have on collaborative decisions? A Different Perspective Attributing women's judgment to mysticism can reinforce stereotypes and diminish credit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuition/) ## Related quotes > [One thing my teacher taught me about getting psychic information with my intuition was to say, "Just show me the truth of this situation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/echo-bodine/one-thing-my-teacher-taught-me-about-getting-psychic-information-with/) [Echo Bodine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/echo-bodine/) > [Intuition is the key to everything, in painting, filmmaking, business - everything. 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