--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Setting aside the vast herd which shows…" description: "\"Setting aside the vast herd which shows no definable character at all, it seems to me that the minority distinguished by what is commonly regarded as a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/027/h-l-mencken-245_acquaintance_setting-aside-the-vast-herd-which-shows_365136.jpg" --- # Setting aside the vast herd which shows no definable… ![“Setting aside the vast herd which shows no definable character at all, it seems to me that the minority distinguished by what is commonly regarded as an excess of sin is very much more admirable than the minority distinguished by an excess of virtue. My experience of the world has taught me that…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/027/h-l-mencken-245_acquaintance_setting-aside-the-vast-herd-which-shows_365136.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/027/h-l-mencken-245_acquaintance_setting-aside-the-vast-herd-which-shows_365136.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/027/h-l-mencken-245_acquaintance_setting-aside-the-vast-herd-which-shows_365136.jpg) > “Setting aside the vast herd which shows no definable character at all, it seems to me that the minority distinguished by what is commonly regarded as an excess of sin is very much more admirable than the minority distinguished by an excess of virtue. My experience of the world has taught me that the average wine-bibbler is a far better fellow than the average prohibitionist, and that the average rogue is better company than the average poor drudge, and that the worst white-slave trader of my acquaintance is a decenter man than the best vice crusader.” [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that people with moral flaws are often more interesting and valuable than those who are overly virtuous. **In simple terms:** Flawed people can be more admirable than overly virtuous ones. Key Takeaway Value authenticity over superficial virtue. Themes human nature authenticity virtue flaws societal norms Mood thoughtful analytical critical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - personal relationships - political discourse - literary analysis - ethical debates Key Concepts Moral relativism social critique individualism Questions to Reflect On - What makes a flawed person admirable? - Can virtue be genuine without excess? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on flaws can excuse harmful behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquaintance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquaintance/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Excess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excess/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Rogues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rogues/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Traders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traders/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“If I could put it into a very few words, dear sir, I should say that our prevalent belief is in moderation. We inculcate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hilton/if-i-could-put-it-into-a-very-few-words-dear-sir-i-should-say-that/) [James Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hilton/) > [“I do not admire the excess of a virtue as of valour, except I see at the same time the excess of the opposite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/i-do-not-admire-the-excess-of-a-virtue-as-of-valour-except-i-see-at/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“I do not admire the excess of a virtue like courage unless I see at the same time an excess of the opposite virtue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/i-do-not-admire-the-excess-of-a-virtue-like-courage-unless-i-see-at/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I hope I need not confess that a large part of my stock in trade consists of platitudes rescued from the cobwebbed shelves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/i-hope-i-need-not-confess-that-a-large-part-of-my-stock-in-trade/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Had I been more responsible I might have made something of myself as a junk bond trader, long-haul trucker or perhaps a plumbing contractor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-yates/had-i-been-more-responsible-i-might-have-made-something-of-myself-as/) [Brock Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-yates/) > [Despite the deep reforms we are making, traders and speculators have forced interest rates on Greek bonds to record highs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/despite-the-deep-reforms-we-are-making-traders-and-speculators-have/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [Wal-Mart has become the whipping boy for political demagogues, unions and anti-traders. I suggest that they have the wrong target… Wal-Mart exists and prospers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/wal-mart-has-become-the-whipping-boy-for-political-demagogues-unions/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [As developing countries became bigger traders, it was clear that the old way of doing business wouldn't fly. To get them back to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-altman/as-developing-countries-became-bigger-traders-it-was-clear-that-the/) [Daniel Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-altman/) > [I'm a free market person, a free trader. But if we had a market in California, there would be competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-eshoo/i-m-a-free-market-person-a-free-trader-but-if-we-had-a-market-in/) [Anna Eshoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-eshoo/) > [When I heard the truth about my name was not Cassius Clay, like I knew a black man in America named John Hawkins. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/when-i-heard-the-truth-about-my-name-was-not-cassius-clay-like-i-knew/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Some traders still think that a computer could not trade as well as they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-peterffy/some-traders-still-think-that-a-computer-could-not-trade-as-well-as/) [Thomas Peterffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-peterffy/) > [I have a zillion bottles of hot sauce. I love Trader Joe's jalapeno. The whole right side of my fridge is filled with hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/i-have-a-zillion-bottles-of-hot-sauce-i-love-trader-joe-s-jalapeno/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [Traders and Surfers both have to deal with feelings of missing out on the small ones, until the big one comes along. They also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-seykota/traders-and-surfers-both-have-to-deal-with-feelings-of-missing-out-on/) [Ed Seykota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-seykota/) > [My off-the-cuff remarks at the University of Virginia were with regard to global macro traders, who are on-call 24/7 and of whom there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tudor-jones/my-off-the-cuff-remarks-at-the-university-of-virginia-were-with/) [Paul Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tudor-jones/) > [I always tell my traders that they would've loved the 1990s because it was a fairly easy time to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-a-cohen/i-always-tell-my-traders-that-they-would-ve-loved-the-1990s-because/) [Steven A. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-a-cohen/) ## More by H. L. Mencken > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [ By profession a biologist, \[Thomas Henry Huxley\] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-huxley-covered-in-fact-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [So few men are really worth knowing, that it seems a shameful waste to let an anthropoid prejudice stand in the way of free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/so-few-men-are-really-worth-knowing-that-it-seems-a-shameful-waste-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Man's objection to love is that it dies hard; woman's, that when it is dead, it stays dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/man-s-objection-to-love-is-that-it-dies-hard-woman-s-that-when-it-is/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The lunatic fringe wags the underdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-lunatic-fringe-wags-the-underdog/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [For it is an absurdity to call a country civilized in which a decent and industrious man, laboriously mastering a trade which is valuble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-an-absurdity-to-call-a-country-civilized-in-which-a-decent/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Women have simple tastes. They get pleasure out of the conversation of children in arms and men in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/women-have-simple-tastes-they-get-pleasure-out-of-the-conversation-of/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The critic, to interpret his artist, even to understand his artist, must be able to get into the mind of his artist; he must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-critic-to-interpret-his-artist-even-to-understand-his-artist-must/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Don't overestimate the decency of the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/don-t-overestimate-the-decency-of-the-human-race/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Liberty ... was a two-headed boon. There was first, the liberty of the people as a whole to determine the forms of their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/liberty-was-a-two-headed-boon-there-was-first-the-liberty-of-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [To the extent that I am genuinely educated, I am suspicious of all the things that the average citizen believes and the average pedagogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/to-the-extent-that-i-am-genuinely-educated-i-am-suspicious-of-all-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Philosophy first constructs a scheme of happiness and then tries to fit the world to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/philosophy-first-constructs-a-scheme-of-happiness-and-then-tries-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [For it is the natural tendency of the ignorant to believe what is not true. In order to overcome that tendency it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-the-natural-tendency-of-the-ignorant-to-believe-what-is-not/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) [Explore all 827 H. L. Mencken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## More Acquaintance quotes > [Distrust all those who love you extremely upon a very slight acquaintance and without any visible reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distrust-all-those-who-love-you-extremely-upon-a-very-slight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be much alone with God, and take time to get thoroughly acquainted. Converse over everything with Him. Unburden yourself wholly -every thought, feeling, wish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatius-bonar/be-much-alone-with-god-and-take-time-to-get-thoroughly-acquainted/) [Horatius Bonar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatius-bonar/) > [The study of history and philosophy, accompanied by some acquaintance with art and literature, should be for lawyers and engineers as well as for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/the-study-of-history-and-philosophy-accompanied-by-some-acquaintance/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [One frequently only finds out how really beautiful a women is, until after considerable acquaintance with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/one-frequently-only-finds-out-how-really-beautiful-a-women-is-until/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“I'd rather be a nodding acquaintance, than a bobble head”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-stern/i-d-rather-be-a-nodding-acquaintance-than-a-bobble-head/) [Josh Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-stern/) > [In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant… My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/in-addition-to-my-other-numerous-acquaintances-i-have-one-more/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [God is a spirit. Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil; and it is also true that spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/god-is-a-spirit-jesus-was-led-up-of-the-spirit-to-be-tempted-of-the/) [Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/) > [ \[On an anarchist acquaintance:\] Everything in appearance the most alarmist aunt could wish. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/on-an-anarchist-acquaintance-everything-in-appearance-the-most/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [There is no such thing as educational value in the abstract. The notion that some subjects and methods and that acquaintance with certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/there-is-no-such-thing-as-educational-value-in-the-abstract-the/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [ \[Books\] will visit you at your convenience, whether you are lonesome or not, on rainy days or fair. They propose themselves as either transient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/books-will-visit-you-at-your-convenience-whether-you-are-lonesome-or/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [I'm not dating Prateik; he is just a good acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amyra-dastur/i-m-not-dating-prateik-he-is-just-a-good-acquaintance/) [Amyra Dastur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amyra-dastur/) > [Moderation is the inseparable companion of wisdom, but with it genius has not even a nodding acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/moderation-is-the-inseparable-companion-of-wisdom-but-with-it-genius/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The greatest embarrassment of my political career has been that active duties seem to deprive me of time for careful investigation. I seem almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/the-greatest-embarrassment-of-my-political-career-has-been-that/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [A woman who can't forgive should never have more than a nodding acquaintance with a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-woman-who-can-t-forgive-should-never-have-more-than-a-nodding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 484 Acquaintance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquaintance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Setting aside the vast herd which shows no definable character at all, it seems to me that the minority distinguished by what is commonly regarded as an excess of sin is very much more admirable than the minority distinguished by an excess of virtue. 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