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Title: A Cynic Looks at Life
Little Blue Book #1099

Author: Ambrose Bierce

Editor: E. Haldeman-Julius

Release Date: July 21, 2005 [EBook #16340]

Language: English

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LITTLE BLUE BOOK NO. 1099
Edited by E. Haldeman-Julius

A Cynic Looks at Life

Ambrose Bierce

HALDEMAN-JULIUS COMPANY
GIRARD, KANSAS

Copyright, 1912, by
The Neale Publishing Company

Reprinted by Special Arrangement With
Albert and Charles Boni, New York

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A CYNIC LOOKS AT LIFE

CIVILIZATION

I

The question "Does civilization civilize?" is a fine example of _petitio
principii_, and decides itself in the affirmative; for civilization must
needs do that from the doing of which it has its name. But it is not
necessary to suppose that he who propounds is either unconscious of his
lapse in logic or desirous of digging a pitfall for the feet of those
who discuss; I take it he simply wishes to put the matter in an
impressive way, and relies upon a certain degree of intelligence in the
interpretation.

Concerning uncivilized peoples we know but little except what we are
told by travelers--who, speaking generally, can know very little but the
fact of uncivilization, as shown in externals and irrelevances, and are
moreover, greatly given to lying. From the savages we hear very little.
Judging them in all things by our own standards in default of a
knowledge of theirs, we necessarily condemn, disparage and belittle. One
thing that civilization certainly has not done is to make us intelligent
enough to understand that the contrary of a virtue is not necessarily a
vice. Because, as a rule, we have but one wife and several mistresses
each it is not certain that polygamy is everywhere--nor, for that
matter, anywhere--either wrong or inexpedient. Because the brutality of
the civ