Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic.
W. H. AudenRead
That 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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the unique nature of each individual, suggesting that common traits do not define us entirely.
W. H. Auden expresses the idea that while certain characteristics may be shared among people, it is our uniqueness that truly defines us as individuals. He suggests that classifications based on common traits can obscure the very personal qualities that set us apart, highlighting the complexity of human identity and the importance of acknowledging our distinctiveness in understanding ourselves and others.
Themes
UniquenessIdentitySelf-DisclosureIndividualityCharacteristics
In practice
Example use cases
During a personal development workshop discussing individuality.
More from W. H. Auden
All quotes →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.
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History is, strictly speaking, the study of questions; the study of answers belongs to anthropology and sociology.
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'Healing,' Papa would tell me, 'is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.'
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Murder is unique in that it abolishes the party it injures, so that society has to take the place of the victim and on his behalf demand atonement or grant forgiveness; it is the one crime in which society has a direct interest.
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