Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
Leaving out the gamblers, the burglars, and the plumbers, perhaps we do put our trust in God after a fashion. But, after all, it is an overstatement. If the cholera or black plague should come to these shores, perhaps the bulk of the nation would pray to be delivered from it, but the rest would put their trust in The Health Board.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on human trust, suggesting that in dire situations, people rely more on institutions than on faith.
Mark Twain's quote addresses the nature of trust, pointing out that while many people may profess a belief in divine intervention, in moments of crisis, their inclination is often to depend on practical, earthly solutions. He contrasts the tendency to pray during a crisis, like an epidemic, with the likelihood of trusting public health authorities instead, highlighting a skepticism about purely spiritual reliance in the face of real-world challenges.
Themes
TrustFaithCrisisRelianceHuman Nature
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about public health policies, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of scientific trust.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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