But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.
Society is now one polished horde, formed of two mighty tries, the Bores and Bored.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that society has become a homogeneous group divided into two types of people: those who are dull (the Bores) and those who are weary of them (the Bored).
Lord Byron's quote reflects his critical view of society, indicating that it has evolved into a singular entity characterized by a lack of vibrancy and engagement. The 'Bores' represent individuals who lack excitement or originality, while the 'Bored' refers to those who are disinterested and weary of the monotony around them. This division highlights a societal malaise where real connection and creativity are stifled, leading to a cycle of ennui.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on modern societal dynamics, one could say, 'As Lord Byron puts it, society is now one polished horde, formed of two mighty tries, the Bores and Bored.'
More from Lord Byron
All quotes βIt is the lava of the imagination whose eruption prevents an earthquake.
For what were all these country patriots born? To hunt, and vote, and raise the price of corn?
Absence - that common cure of love.
Her great merit is finding out mine; there is nothing so amiable as discernment.
But words are things, and a small drop of ink, Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
Similar quotes
The Americans never use the word peasant, because they have no idea of the class which that term denotes; the ignorance of more remote ages, the simplicity of rural life, and the rusticity of the villager have not been preserved among them; and they are alike unacquainted with the virtues, the vices, the coarse habits, and the simple graces of an early stage of civilization.
Where is it I've read that someone condemned to death says or thinks, an hour before his death, that if he had to live on some high rock, on such a narrow ledge that he'd only room to stand, and the ocean, everlasting darkness, everlasting solitude, everlasting tempest around him, if he had to remain standing on a square yard of space all his life, a thousand years, eternity, it were better to live so than to die at once. Only to live, to live and live! Life, whatever it may be!
So, is there an afterlife, and if so, what will it be like? I don't have a clue. But I am confident that the one who has buoyed us up in life will also buoy us up through death. We die into God. What more that means, I do not know. But that is all I need to know.
God created hand, head, and heart; the hand for the deed, the head for the world, the heart for mysticism.
Greed's worst point is its ingratitude.
For 'Tis not in mere death that men die most.