If most men and women were forced to rely upon physical charm to attract lovers, their sexual lives would be not only meager but in a youth-worshiping country like America painfully brief.
Interpretation
This quote highlights the limitations of relying solely on physical attractiveness in romantic relationships.
Gore Vidal's quote suggests that if individuals had to depend solely on their physical charm to attract partners, the quality and longevity of their romantic experiences would diminish significantly. In a society that often idolizes youth and beauty, this dependence could render many relationships shallow and fleeting.
In practice
This quote can be used in a discussion about the importance of deeper connections in relationships.
We must declare ourselves, become known; allow the world to discover this subterranean life of ours which connects kings and farm boys, artists and clerks. Let them see that the important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
American writers want to be not good but great; and so are neither.
Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith.
The important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
For the average American, freedom of speech is simply the freedom to repeat what everyone else is saying and no more.
Ayn Rand's 'philosophy' is nearly perfect in its immorality, which makes the size of her audience all the more ominous and symptomatic as we enter a curious new phase in our society.... To justify and extol human greed and egotism is to my mind not only immoral, but evil.
When any society says that I cannot marry a certain person, that society has cut off a segment of my freedom.
My marriage to Marjorie is the most rewarding thing that ever happened to me. She gave me a life and a relationship that I didn't know existed.
When I meet a new person, I don’t see race or religion. I look deeper. We must learn to satisfy our conflicts peacefully and to respect one another.
If misery loves company, misery has company enough.
It seems to me that more and more we've come to expect less and less from each other, and I think that should change.
God forgive you, but I never can.
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