Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident; the only earthly certainty is oblivion.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Fame and popularity are fleeting and unreliable, while ultimately, we all face oblivion.
In this quote, Mark Twain reflects on the transient nature of fame and popularity, suggesting that they are not lasting achievements but rather ephemeral states. He emphasizes that, despite the allure of public recognition, the certainty of life is oblivion, reminding us to seek more substantial and enduring purposes in our existence beyond fame and societal approval.
Themes
FamePopularityOblivionTransienceLife
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a graduation speech to remind students about the deeper values in life.
More from Mark Twain
All quotes βThe easy part of being an artist is figuring out the message that everyone else is ready to hear. The hard part is waiting for the proper lull to make the announcement.
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You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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