H. L. Mencken Analysis

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Regarding the argument of personal desire versus safety, social critic and American essayist H.L Mencken observes that the average population simply wants to acquire a sense of safety rather than just the pleasures of personal freedom. His overall belief that this was a valid statement to society in the 1950’s can be reciprocated to the generations living in contemporary America. Mencken's observation applies to contemporary society to the extent in which average Americans, regardless of age, desire safety over freedom in perspective of bearing arms in public, teen driving regulations, and airport precautions. With all aspects in mind, these are merely just a few reasons that validate Mencken's observation, as there are a great deal more not discussed in this essay. …show more content…
When investigated this altercation thoroughly, it can be realized that this controversy stems originally from the desire of public safety that citizens are valuing more so than ever. In regards of the argument, a large portion of citizens claim that gun control needs to be enforced so that less crimes and shootings are made possible for the safety of the country and the innocent victims who seem to be primarily targeted. However, for the population that wishes to enforce gun more gun control, the freedom of simply obtaining such weapons is limited and there could be a possibility of complete eradicated. The willingness to diminish personal freedom in order to achieve safety from the traumatic situations involving personal possessions of guns, demonstrates the extent of this opinion and only justifies how Mencken's observation reflects forward to contemporary society, as seeing this is a very large and amplifying concern for all American