H. L. Mencken
approach to life and appearances

The following is a description of Henry's basic stance toward life, the way others see him, the way H. L. Mencken comes across, the face he shows to the world. In the page about motivation you will read about the inner H. L. Mencken - his real motivation, which describes the kind of person he is at heart and where his true priorities lie. Study this page and the next one and compare them - there may be significant differences between the two, in which case "the inner H. L. Mencken" may not shine through and others may be in for so a few surprises once they get to know Henry a little better. This page describes the disguise Mencken wears, his role in life, while the page about motivation talks about the real person beneath the disguise.

H. L. Mencken has a sensible and realistic outlook on life and his two feet are always planted firmly on the ground (though he may, on occasion, have his head in the clouds). Others often see Mencken as a rock of strength, solid, reliable, dependable, and constant. He is, in fact, amazingly consistent for he possesses great powers of endurance and does not like to make changes or adjustments to his regular routine. Henry does things deliberately and methodically and does not easily accommodate the unexpected. Though he has a gentle, even soft, appearance, H. L. Mencken is enormously strong-willed and stubborn. He follows his own pace and refuses to be rushed or pushed into anything before he feels sure about it. Mencken can be coaxed and persuaded by charm, beauty, love or affection - but never forced. He will not fight either, but simply stubbornly resist any attempt at being coerced into doing something he does not want to do.

When Mencken has a purpose, he is extremely fixed, immovable, and bullheaded about it. His obstinacy is often infuriating to others, especially since it takes much provocation to make him flare up or respond to their anger. H. L. Mencken appears calm, unruffled, and unemotional most of the time, but behind his easygoing and peaceable appearance there lies great strength. When it comes to a contest of wills, Henry often wins simply due to his relentless persistence and his ability to outlast just about anyone. Another reason for his reluctance to make changes is his very strong need for security. Henry is most comfortable in stable, relatively unchanging conditions and he also has a strong desire for tangible security - a home of his own, money in the bank, job security, etc. The flip side of Mencken's hankering for permanence is that he easily gets caught up in a rut and will stay in a familiar situation (e.g. job, marriage) long after it has lost its vitality and interest.

H. L. Mencken has a keen appreciation of the natural world and he derives great joy from the down-to-earth comforts of the physical world, with its myriad of delights. He is quite sensual in a very natural, wholesome way and he knows how to enjoy himself. Mencken is appealing to the opposite sex in an earthy way. He is also a great lover of beauty and his tastes are basically conventional or classic - not modern.

H. L. Mencken radiates a sense of pride, self-assurance, and a definite awareness of his own importance. It is hard to ignore Mencken when he is present, and his personality may overshadow or dominate the scene.

Bright, alert, quick of tongue and/or of movement, there is youthfulness about Henry's manner and appearance regardless of his chronological age. H. L. Mencken also always appears busy and active, and somewhat restless. Mencken needs mental stimulation from his environment, or he will rapidly get bored.

Others are attracted to Mencken because of his light-hearted, cheerful and optimistic personality. Very charming, H. L. Mencken is likely to give frequent compliments. He is very affectionate toward others and has a need to be in active relationships with people.

Henry has strong leadership qualities and finds it natural to take charge of his family environment. He throws himself wholeheartedly into all his affairs, does not like others to make demands on him, but H. L. Mencken will willingly give of his in most situations.

H. L. Mencken has a kind and loving nature and he radiates friendliness and warmth wherever he goes. Because of his obliging and cordial manner, Mencken is likely to have many harmonious relationships with others.

H. L. Mencken tends to get excited easily and may act a bit restless in the presence of other people. Always in motion, Mencken seems to come across like a whirlwind and has a constant need for different and new experiences.

Other people may consider his environment a bit strange and Mencken likes to surround himself with a certain air of mystery. H. L. Mencken tends to be very secretive and is likely to exert his power from behind the scenes.

Astrological factors in this Astro Profile section:

Taurus Rising

Sun Trine Asc.

Mercury Trine Asc.

Asc. Opposition Moon/Venus

Asc. Opposition Moon/Mars

Asc. Opposition Venus/N. Node

Asc. Opposition Uranus/MC

Asc. Conjunct Neptune/Pluto