Age Quote by Ambrose Bierce
“BABE or BABY, n. A misshapen creature of no particular age, sex, or condition, chiefly remarkable for the violence of the sympathies and antipathies it excites in others, itself without sentiment or emotion. There have been famous babes; for example, little Moses, from whose adventure in the bulrushes the Egyptian hierophants of seven centuries before doubtless derived their idle tale of the child Osiris being preserved on a floating lotus leaf. Ere babes were invented The girls were contended. Now man is tormented Until to buy babes he has squandered His money. And so I have pondered This thing, and thought may be 'T were better that Baby The First had been eagled or condored. --Ro Amil.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce, 1906
‘Babe’ denotes a malformed, emotionless being that provokes strong reactions, contrasted with the idealized, sentimental child.
In simple terms: Babe is a grotesque, indifferent figure.
Key Takeaway
Beware of dehumanizing labels.
Themes
language
perception
humanity
Mood
critical
ironic
Type
satirical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- media analysis
- personal relationships
- cultural commentary
Key Concepts
social critique
psychology
satire
Questions to Reflect On
- What modern terms function like ‘babe’ to dehumanize?
- How does language shape our empathy?
A Different Perspective
The definition mocks sentimentalism while exposing cruelty.
![“This [the movie Babe] is the way Americans want to think of pigs. Real-life 'Babes' see no sun in their limited lives, with no hay to lie on, no mud to roll in. The sows live in tiny cages, so narrow they can't even turn around. They live over metal grates, and their waste is pushed through slats…” quote by Morley Safer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/562/morley-safer-17896_babe_this-the-movie-babe-is-the-way-americans_1548341.jpg)
