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Beauty is worse than wine, it intoxicates both the holder and beholder.
Aldous Huxley
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Beauty can be mesmerizing and captivating, affecting both those who possess it and those who admire it. It creates a kind of intoxication that can cloud judgment and perception.

This quote by Aldous Huxley suggests that beauty has an intoxicating effect similar to that of wine, influencing both the person who possesses beauty and the one who appreciates it. It implies that beauty, while often admired, can lead to a distorted reality and affect relationships and interactions, making it a powerful yet deceptive force in human experience.

Themes

BeautyIntoxicationPerceptionJudgmentRelationships

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the impact of social media on beauty standards.

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To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.
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No man ever dared to manifest his boredom so insolently as does a Siamese tomcat when he yawns in the face of his amorously importunate wife.
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The leech's kiss, the squid's embrace, The prurient ape's defiling touch: And do you like the human race? No, not much.
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