Everything is dangerous, my dear fellow. If it wasn't so, life wouldn't be worth living.
Oscar WildeRead
When one has never heard a man's name in the course of one's life, it speaks volumes for him; he must be quite respectable.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The absence of someone's name suggests that they are likely a person of high regard and respect.
Oscar Wilde's quote suggests that if a person has not heard of someone's name throughout their life, it may indicate that this individual is quite respectable. Instead of being notorious or controversial, a lack of recognition might imply a dignified life led in an honorable manner, where the individual is valued but perhaps not in the public eye.
Themes
RespectReputationDignityNameHonor
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of living a respectable life.
More from Oscar Wilde
All quotes βLondon is too full of fogs and serious people. Whether the fogs produce the serious people, or whether the serious people produce the fogs, I don't know.
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A truth ceases to be true when more than one person believes in it.
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Intellectual generalities are always interesting, but generalities in morals mean absolutely nothing.
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