Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.
Interpretation
Style reflects oneβs true self and expression, ignoring external judgments.
This quote emphasizes the importance of individuality and confidence in expressing oneself. Gore Vidal suggests that true style comes from a deep understanding of oneself and a commitment to oneβs own voice, without being overly concerned about how others perceive it.
In practice
In a speech about self-confidence at a fashion event, one might quote Gore Vidal to emphasize the importance of personal style.
We must declare ourselves, become known; allow the world to discover this subterranean life of ours which connects kings and farm boys, artists and clerks. Let them see that the important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
American writers want to be not good but great; and so are neither.
Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith.
The important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
For the average American, freedom of speech is simply the freedom to repeat what everyone else is saying and no more.
Ayn Rand's 'philosophy' is nearly perfect in its immorality, which makes the size of her audience all the more ominous and symptomatic as we enter a curious new phase in our society.... To justify and extol human greed and egotism is to my mind not only immoral, but evil.
If you set out to write an adjective novel, you're setting out to write a mediocre novel; your allegiance is to the adjective, not to the story, and then that just sucks all the joy right out of it.
First, I would find an object which I would think is suitable for my characters and stories, then write about it, and in the end, I ended up with a house full of thousands of objects.
As to the pure mind all things are pure, so to the poetic mind all things are poetical.
I love watching faces as they grow up. It's the difference between so many strong British actresses compared to what America does to women. I like a face that hasn't been tampered with.
Painting is not for me either decorative amusement, or the plastic invention of felt reality; it must be every time: invention, discovery, revelation.
There is two kinds of music, the good, and the bad. I play the good kind.
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