Everything is dangerous, my dear fellow. If it wasn't so, life wouldn't be worth living.
Oscar WildeRead
A truth ceases to be true when more than one person believes in it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that a belief can lose its validity when it is widely accepted by many people, implying that truth is subjective.
Oscar Wilde's quote examines the nature of truth and belief, proposing that the essence of what is true can be distorted or diluted by the mere agreement of a group. When many people adopt the same belief, it can transform from an absolute truth into a societal construct, revealing the complex interplay between perception and reality. This reflection encourages individuals to approach truth with skepticism and encourages critical thinking.
Themes
TruthBeliefSubjectiveRealityPerception
In practice
Example use cases
In a philosophical debate about the nature of reality.
More from Oscar Wilde
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His morality is all sympathy, just what morality should be
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Intellectual generalities are always interesting, but generalities in morals mean absolutely nothing.
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