I am but too conscious of the fact that we are born in an age when only the dull are treated seriously, and I live in terror of not being misunderstood.
SocietyCreativityIdentityConformityIndividualityMisunderstanding
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Wilde feels he lives in an era that only values the dull, fearing misunderstanding for his unconventional mind.
- In plain terms
- He fears being misunderstood in a dull‑valuing age.
- What can you take from it?
- Embrace individuality despite mainstream conformity.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What drives the fear of misunderstanding?
- How can societies value the unconventional?
Another view
Many find acceptance for non‑conformity in niche groups.
More from Oscar Wilde
Oh! journalism is unreadable, and literature is not read.
Permalink to quote #36 The one duty we owe to history is to rewrite it.
Permalink to quote #38 Truth, in the matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has survived.
Permalink to quote #35
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