Category: 旁门左道 | Asides

For your race, in its poverty, has unquestionably one really effective weapon—laughter. Power, money, persuasion, supplication, persecution—these can lift at a colossal humbug—push it a little—weaken it a little, century by century; but only laughter can blow it to rags and atoms at a blast. Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand. You are always fussing and fighting with your other weapons. Do you ever use that one? No; you leave it lying rusting. As a race, do you ever use it at all? No; you lack sense and the courage. – Mark Twain, The Chronicle of Satan

你的种族，即便处在它的贫困时期，仍有一把极为有效的武器：欢笑。权力，金钱，诱劝，祈福，迫害……这些手段都基于群体的哄骗，以世纪为时间单位慢慢的削弱敌人。只有欢笑可以一击把敌人轰成碎片——没有东西能抵挡欢笑的攻击。你总是在折腾其他的武器，有曾考虑过使用它？没有，你让它躺在一旁生锈。你的种族有曾使用过它？没有，你们缺乏那种理性与勇气。 – 马克吐温，《撒旦编年史》

image via atwiki, text via gutenberg