The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is fear - fear of the unknown, the complex, the inexplicable. What he wants above everything else is safety.

In this remark Mencken contrasts what he sees as intellectual and moral courage with a timid, conformist temperament. The “inferior man” is defined not by class but by a psychological posture: a persistent fear of ambiguity and complexity. Mencken suggests that this fear drives a craving for “safety,” meaning not only physical security but also the comfort of simple explanations, fixed certainties, and protective social norms. The line fits Mencken’s broader critique of mass opinion and moralistic politics: when fear governs, people may trade curiosity and liberty for reassurance, and they become susceptible to demagogues who promise order and certainty.