Everything is dangerous, my dear fellow. If it wasn't so, life wouldn't be worth living.
Oscar WildeRead
It is only by not paying one's bills that one can hope to live in the memory of the commercial classes.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Not paying bills can create a lasting impression in commercial society, satirically suggesting that there's a twisted form of legacy in debt.
Oscar Wilde's quote humorously critiques the commercial mindset by suggesting that failing to fulfill financial obligations is a way to stand out and be remembered by businesses and society. It reflects Wilde's wit and his commentary on societal values, as he highlights the absurdity of being valued based on financial irresponsibility rather than character or contributions.
Themes
DebtMemoryCommercialWildeHumor
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the absurdities of consumer culture.
More from Oscar Wilde
All quotes βLondon is too full of fogs and serious people. Whether the fogs produce the serious people, or whether the serious people produce the fogs, I don't know.
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