To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.
Aldous HuxleyRead
Now, a corpse, poor thing, is an untouchable and the process of decay is, of all pieces of bad manners, the vulgarest imaginable. For a corpse is, by definition, a person absolutely devoid of savoir vivre.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the lack of social grace in death compared to life, emphasizing the decay of a body and the absence of culture in death.
Aldous Huxley's quote suggests that a corpse, being lifeless, is devoid of the social etiquette and grace that defines a person during their life. The decay of a body serves as a stark reminder of mortality, highlighting how the absence of 'savoir vivre' or the knowledge of living well is most evident when one can no longer participate in the social world.
Themes
DeathDecaySavoir VivreEtiquetteMortality
In practice
Example use cases
In a philosophical discussion about the nature of life and death, this quote could illustrate the contrast between living well and the social implications of death.
More from Aldous Huxley
All quotes →Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
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In the course of history many more people have died for their drink and their dope than have died for their religion or their country.
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On no account brood over your wrongdoing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean.
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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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