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About this quote

What does it mean?
Wilde jokes that a person is not ugly if you simply close your eyes and avoid looking.
In plain terms
Ugliness disappears when you don't look.
What can you take from it?
Perception shapes our judgments of appearance.

Where it applies

  • dating
  • social interactions

Putting it to work

  • focus on inner qualities
  • avoid superficial judgments

Questions to consider

  • How much does sight affect attraction?
  • Can we truly ignore looks?

Another view

Physical appearance can affect practical matters.

More from Oscar Wilde

  1. All art is immoral.

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  2. le mystere de l'amour est plus grand que le mystere de la mort.

    Permalink to quote #20
  3. Art finds her own perfection within, and not outside of herself. She is not to be judged by any external standard of resemblance. She is a veil, rather than a …

    Permalink to quote #17

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