Ass Quote by H. L. Mencken
“The average schoolmaster is and always must be essentially an ass, for how can one imagine an intelligent man engaging in so puerile an avocation.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Schoolmaster" by H. L. Mencken, 1915
Mencken argues that teaching is inherently demeaning, implying that educators are often foolish.
In simple terms: Teaching is seen as a low-status job.
Key Takeaway
Question the value placed on teaching.
Themes
education criticism
social hierarchy
professional dignity
Mood
critical
contemplative
Type
provocative
reflective
When to use this quote
- school policy debates
- teacher recruitment
- public perception
- academic reform
- career counseling
Key Concepts
Cynicism
elitism
occupational stigma
Questions to Reflect On
- What motivates teachers despite low prestige?
- How can society better value educators?
A Different Perspective
Such a sweeping claim ignores many dedicated educators.
![“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)
