Phrases and Philosophies for Use of the Young

Ibby · 03-06-2007, 09:25 PM

The first duty in life is to be as artificial as possible. What the second duty is no one has as yet discovered.

Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for the curious attractiveness of others.

If the poor only had profiles there would be no difficulty in solving the problem of poverty.

Those who see any difference between soul and body have neither.

A really well-maded buttonhole is the only link between Art and Nature.

Religions die when they are proved to be true. Science is the record of dead religions.

The well-bred contradict other people. The wise contradict themselves.

Nothing that actually occurs is of the smallest importance.

Dullness is the coming of age of seriousness.

In all unimportant matters, style, not sincerity, is the essential. In all important matters, style, not sincerity, is the essential.

If one tells the truth, one is sure, sooner or later, to be found out.

Pleasure is the only thing one should live for. Nothing ages like happiness.

It is only by not paying one's bills that one can hope to live in the memory of the commercial classes.

No crime is vulgar, but all vulgarity is crime. Vulgarity is the conduct of others.

Only the shallow know themselves.

Time is a waste of money.

One should always be a little improbable.

There is a fatality about all good resolutions. They are invariably made too soon.

The only way to atone for being occasionally a little over-dressed is by being always absolutely over-educated.

To be premature is to be perfect.

Any preoccupation with ideas of what is right and wrong in conduct shows an arrested intellectual development.

Ambition is the last refuge of the failure.

A truth ceases to be true when more than one person believes in it.

In examinations the foolish ask questions that the wise cannot answer.

Greek dress was in its essence inartistic. Nothing should reveal the body but the body.

One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.

It is only the superficial qualities that last. Man's deeper nature is soon found out.

Industry is the root of all ugliness.

The ages live in history through their anachronisms.

It is only the gods who taste of death. Apollo has passed away, but Hyacinth, whom men say he slew, lives on. Nero and Narcissus are always with us.

The old believe everything: the middle-aged suspect everything: the young know everything.

The condition of perfection is idleness: the aim of perfection is youth.

Only the great masters of style ever succeed in being obscure.

There is something tragic about the enormous number of young men there are in England at the present moment who start life with perfect profiles, and end by adopting some useful profession.

To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance.

Oscar Wilde, Dec. 1894 issue of The Chameleon.

lumberjim · 03-06-2007, 10:21 PM

groupie

Ibby · 03-06-2007, 10:25 PM

totally

wolf · 03-07-2007, 12:20 AM

Except for the buttonhole thing (which is true, incidentally) that list has really stood the test of time, hasn't it?

Ibby · 03-07-2007, 01:48 AM

Exceedingly well. All of Wilde's work has.

xoxoxoBruce · 03-08-2007, 10:59 PM

Except his admiration for socialism.

TheMercenary · 03-09-2007, 03:30 PM

Socialism is a fantasy world.

Ibby · 03-09-2007, 08:19 PM

So was flying people, electricity, thinking metal, and steam power, at various times.

Perry Winkle · 03-09-2007, 08:39 PM

I expect we'll have workable socialist governments about the time we have a flying car in every garage.

Most of the items on the list sound good but lack any real meaning. Cute, nonetheless.

Ibby · 03-09-2007, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grant

Most of the items on the list sound good but lack any real meaning.

And is this not, as Wilde himself argued, the point of art?

Perry Winkle · 03-09-2007, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibram

And is this not, as Wilde himself argued, the point of art?

I wouldn't know. Gets a tad tiresome after a while, anyway.

03-06-2007, 09:25 PM	#1
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	Phrases and Philosophies for Use of the Young The first duty in life is to be as artificial as possible. What the second duty is no one has as yet discovered. Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for the curious attractiveness of others. If the poor only had profiles there would be no difficulty in solving the problem of poverty. Those who see any difference between soul and body have neither. A really well-maded buttonhole is the only link between Art and Nature. Religions die when they are proved to be true. Science is the record of dead religions. The well-bred contradict other people. The wise contradict themselves. Nothing that actually occurs is of the smallest importance. Dullness is the coming of age of seriousness. In all unimportant matters, style, not sincerity, is the essential. In all important matters, style, not sincerity, is the essential. If one tells the truth, one is sure, sooner or later, to be found out. Pleasure is the only thing one should live for. Nothing ages like happiness. It is only by not paying one's bills that one can hope to live in the memory of the commercial classes. No crime is vulgar, but all vulgarity is crime. Vulgarity is the conduct of others. Only the shallow know themselves. Time is a waste of money. One should always be a little improbable. There is a fatality about all good resolutions. They are invariably made too soon. The only way to atone for being occasionally a little over-dressed is by being always absolutely over-educated. To be premature is to be perfect. Any preoccupation with ideas of what is right and wrong in conduct shows an arrested intellectual development. Ambition is the last refuge of the failure. A truth ceases to be true when more than one person believes in it. In examinations the foolish ask questions that the wise cannot answer. Greek dress was in its essence inartistic. Nothing should reveal the body but the body. One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art. It is only the superficial qualities that last. Man's deeper nature is soon found out. Industry is the root of all ugliness. The ages live in history through their anachronisms. It is only the gods who taste of death. Apollo has passed away, but Hyacinth, whom men say he slew, lives on. Nero and Narcissus are always with us. The old believe everything: the middle-aged suspect everything: the young know everything. The condition of perfection is idleness: the aim of perfection is youth. Only the great masters of style ever succeed in being obscure. There is something tragic about the enormous number of young men there are in England at the present moment who start life with perfect profiles, and end by adopting some useful profession. To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance. Oscar Wilde, Dec. 1894 issue of The Chameleon. __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

03-06-2007, 10:21 PM	#2
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	groupie __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

03-06-2007, 10:25 PM	#3
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	totally __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

03-07-2007, 12:20 AM	#4
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Except for the buttonhole thing (which is true, incidentally) that list has really stood the test of time, hasn't it? __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

03-07-2007, 01:48 AM	#5
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	Exceedingly well. All of Wilde's work has. __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

03-08-2007, 10:59 PM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Except his admiration for socialism. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-09-2007, 03:30 PM	#7
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Socialism is a fantasy world.

03-09-2007, 08:19 PM	#8
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	So was flying people, electricity, thinking metal, and steam power, at various times. __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

03-09-2007, 08:39 PM	#9
Perry Winkle Esnohplad Semaj Ton Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: A little south of sanity Posts: 2,259	I expect we'll have workable socialist governments about the time we have a flying car in every garage. Most of the items on the list sound good but lack any real meaning. Cute, nonetheless.

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