Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic.
W. H. AudenRead
One of the troubles of our times is that we are all, I think, precocious as personalities and backward as characters.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that while people may develop individual personalities early, their moral and ethical development often lags behind.
W. H. Auden's quote reflects a profound observation about contemporary society, indicating that many individuals exhibit an advanced stage of personal identity and self-expression, yet their character, which encompasses moral values and ethical behavior, tends to be underdeveloped. This contrast illustrates a disconnect between outward personality traits and inner character strengths, prompting reflection on the importance of nurturing not just personal growth but also character development in a rapidly changing world.
Themes
PersonalityCharacterDevelopmentSocietyMorality
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about personal growth during a psychology seminar.
More from W. H. Auden
All quotes βThat the speech of self-disclosure should be translatable seems to me very odd, but I am convinced that it is. The conclusion that I draw is that the only quality which all human being without exception possess is uniqueness: any characteristic, on the other hand, which one individual can be recognized as having in common with another, like red hair or the English language, implies the existence of other individual qualities which this classification excludes.
W. H. AudenRead
Nobody knows what the cause is, though some pretend they do; it like some hidden assassin waiting to strike at you. Childless women get it, and men when they retire; it as if there had to be some outlet for their foiled creative fire.
W. H. AudenRead
History is, strictly speaking, the study of questions; the study of answers belongs to anthropology and sociology.
W. H. AudenRead
Music is the best means we have of digesting time.
W. H. AudenRead
'Healing,' Papa would tell me, 'is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.'
W. H. AudenRead
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