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Admiration Quote by Oscar Wilde

“We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely. All art is quite useless.” quote by Oscar Wilde
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““We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely. All art is quite useless.””

Oscar Wilde

About This Quote

Source Play: Lady Windermere’s Fan, 1892

The quote suggests that creation is justified when useful, but admiration for uselessness makes it excusable; art, despite being useless, holds value.

In simple terms: Art can be useless yet valuable; usefulness justifies creation.

Key Takeaway

Value creation over admiration.

Themes

art philosophy creativity value uselessness

Mood

reflective thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • creative projects
  • design work
  • personal expression
  • cultural critique

Key Concepts

Aestheticism existentialism paradox

Questions to Reflect On

  • Is usefulness the only justification for creation?
  • Can useless art still serve a purpose?
A Different Perspective

Uselessness may be subjective; usefulness is not the sole measure of worth.

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