Innocent Quote by H. L. Mencken
“Lying is not only excusable; it is not only innocent; it is, above all, necessary and unavoidable. Without the ameliorations that it offers, life would become a mere syllogism and hence too metallic to be borne.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Art of Lying", 1915
Lying is essential and unavoidable; without it, life becomes a cold logic.
In simple terms: Lying is necessary to avoid a sterile, logical existence.
Key Takeaway
Accept lying as a social tool.
Themes
ethics
communication
necessity
Mood
cynical
analytical
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- politics
- personal relationships
- media
Key Concepts
social pragmatism
philosophical skepticism
Questions to Reflect On
- When is lying justified?
- How does honesty shape society?
A Different Perspective
Moral compromise may erode trust.
![“By profession a biologist, [Thomas Henry Huxley] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences. Absolutely nothing was uninteresting to him. His curiosity ranged from music to theology and from philosophy to history. He didn't simply know something…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f46/h-l-mencken-245_absolutely-nothing_by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-h_5368.jpg)
