Admission Quote by Colin Wilson
“I have a strong antipathy to everything connected with gardens, gardening and gardeners. . . . Gardening seems to me a kind of admission of defeat. . . . Man was made for better things than pruning his rose trees. The state of mind of the confirmed gardener seems to me as reprehensible as that of the confirmed alcoholic. Both have capitulated to the world. Both have become lotus eaters and drifters.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Outsider", 1956
Wilson expresses disdain for gardening, seeing it as surrender to mediocrity, preferring more ambitious pursuits.
In simple terms: Gardening is a surrender to the ordinary.
Key Takeaway
Seek higher, more challenging goals.
Themes
nature
ambition
conformity
Mood
critical
contemplative
Type
philosophical
personal
When to use this quote
- career choices
- creative projects
- personal development
Key Concepts
Existentialism
personal philosophy
rebellion
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “pruning” symbolize in your life?
- How can ordinary tasks become meaningful?
A Different Perspective
Gardening can offer therapeutic benefits.
