Boundary, n. In political geography, an imaginary line between two nations, separating the imaginary rights of one from the imaginary rights of another.
Interpretation
The quote critiques the concept of national borders as arbitrary constructs that separate people based on imagined rights.
Ambrose Bierce's quote highlights the absurdity of national boundaries by describing them as imaginary lines that delineate arbitrary privileges assigned to nations. It prompts the reader to reflect on the subjective nature of borders and the rights that nations claim over territories, suggesting that these divisions often lack a fundamental basis in reality and serve merely to create conflict and separation between people.
In practice
In a speech about the absurdity of nationalism, one might use this quote to illustrate how borders divide humanity.
PALM, n. A species of tree . . . of which the familiar "itching palm" ("Palma hominis") is most widely distributed . . . . This noble vegetable exudes a kind of invisible gum, which may be detected by applying to the bark a piece of gold or silver.
Human nature is pretty well balanced; for every lacking virtue there is a rough substitute that will serve at a pinch--as cunning is the wisdom of the unwise, and ferocity the courage of the coward.
Indigestion: A disease which the patient and his friends frequently mistake for deep religious conviction and concern for the salvation of mankind. As the simple Red Man of the Western Wild put it, with, it must be confessed, a certain force: 'Plenty well, no pray; big belly ache, heap God.'
Disobey n:To celebrate with an appropriate ceremony the maturity of a command
NOUMENON, n. That which exists, as distinguished from that which merely seems to exist, the latter being a phenomenon. The noumenon is a bit difficult to locate; it can be apprehended only by a process of reasoning - which is a phenomenon.
PARDON, v. To remit a penalty and restore to the life of crime. To add to the lure of crime the temptation of ingratitude.
A party of order or stability, and a party of progress or reform, are both necessary elements of a healthy state of political life.
And as far as I can see the world is too old for us to talk about it with our new words.
A man's most open actions have a secret side to them.
This planet has β or rather had β a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much all of the time.
I believe this thought, of the possibility of death - if calmly realised, and steadily faced would be one of the best possible tests as to our going to any scene of amusement being right or wrong.
Compassion literally means to feel with, to suffer with. Everyone is capable of compassion, and yet everyone tends to avoid it because it's uncomfortable. And the avoidance produces psychic numbing - resistance to experiencing our pain for the world and other beings.
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