#mona

The only things known to go faster than ordinary light is monarchy, according to the philosopher Ly Tin Weedle. He reasoned like this: you can't have more than one king, and tradition demands that there is no gap between kings, so when a king dies the succession must therefore pass to the heir *instantaneously*. Presumably, he said, there must be some elementary particles -- kingons, or possibly queons -- that do this job, but of course succession sometimes fails if, in mid-flight, they strike an anti-particle, or republicon. His ambitious plans to use his discovery to send messages, involving the careful torturing of a small king in order to modulate the signal, were never fully expanded because, at that point, the bar closed. ↗

— Terry Pratchett

#humor

Your king is SUPPOSED to explode? What kind of government system is that? ↗

— Jefferson Smith

#government #humor #humour #kings #monarchy

Sorry," he said, kissing me lightly once more and brushing my hair from my face. I'd never seen a less sorry person in my life. ↗

— Annabel Monaghan

#digit #john-bennet #life

One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings, is, that nature disapproves it, otherwise, she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind an ass for a lion. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#government #monarchy #wit #nature

Monarchies have some good features beyond their star qualities. They can reduce the size and parasitic nature of the management bureaucracy. They can make speedy decisions when necessary. They fit an ancient human demand for a parental (tribal/feudal) hierarchy where every person knows his place. It is valuable to know your place, even if that place is temporary. It is galling to be held in place against your will. This is why I teach about tyranny in the best possible way—by example. ↗

— Frank Herbert

#tyranny #nature