They are all alike you know. They hold their tongues for years and you think you're safe, but when the opportunity comes they remember everything.
Edith WhartonRead
The difference is that these young people take it for granted that they're going to get whatever they want, and that we almost always took it for granted that we shouldn't. Only, I wonder—the thing one's so certain of in advance: can it ever make one's heart beat as wildly?
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the contrasting attitudes towards desire and expectation between generations.
Edith Wharton's quote explores the difference in mindset between younger and older generations regarding desire and fulfillment. While the younger generation assumes they will receive everything they want, the older generation is conditioned to believe they should not take desires for granted. Wharton questions whether such certainty in obtaining one's desires can evoke the same passionate excitement and emotional intensity as the uncertainty experienced by those who are more cautious and restrained in their ambitions.
Themes
DesireExpectationGenerationsCertaintyEmotions
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about generational differences in expectations during a seminar.
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There are two ways to spread happiness; either be the light who shines it or be the mirror who reflects it.
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