Everything is dangerous, my dear fellow. If it wasn't so, life wouldn't be worth living.
Oscar WildeRead
I suppose society is wonderfully delightful. To be in it is merely a bore. But to be out of it is simply a tragedy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Oscar Wilde reflects on the paradox of society, suggesting that while it may seem delightful, participation in it can be tedious, yet exclusion brings sorrow.
This quote by Oscar Wilde captures the duality of societal engagement. On one hand, Wilde acknowledges the allure and charm of society, which can be enticing and delightful. However, he juxtaposes this with the tediousness of being part of it, implying that social interactions and norms can often be mundane or exhausting. Finally, he points out the sorrow of being excluded from society, suggesting that while participation may be boring, isolation and having to live outside societal structures is a tragic state. Thus, Wilde encapsulates the complexities of social life, presenting it as a blend of enjoyment, ennui, and tragedy.
Themes
SocietyDelightBoreTragedyEngagementIsolation
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on social structures, this quote could illustrate the dual nature of societal engagement.
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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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.
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Men always want to be a woman's first love - women like to be a man's last romance.
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A truth ceases to be true when more than one person believes in it.
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His morality is all sympathy, just what morality should be
Oscar WildeRead
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