--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He watched it with that strange interest…" description: "\"He watched it with that strange interest in trivial things that we try to develop when things of high import make us afraid, or when we are stirred by ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/953/oscar-wilde-16_emotion_he-watched-it-with-that-strange-interest_2558596.jpg" --- # He watched it with that strange interest in trivial things… ![“He watched it with that strange interest in trivial things that we try to develop when things of high import make us afraid, or when we are stirred by some new emotion for which we cannot find expression...” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/953/oscar-wilde-16_emotion_he-watched-it-with-that-strange-interest_2558596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/953/oscar-wilde-16_emotion_he-watched-it-with-that-strange-interest_2558596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/953/oscar-wilde-16_emotion_he-watched-it-with-that-strange-interest_2558596.jpg) > “He watched it with that strange interest in trivial things that we try to develop when things of high import make us afraid, or when we are stirred by some new emotion for which we cannot find expression...” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wilde observes that people focus on trivialities when faced with profound or frightening emotions they cannot articulate. **In simple terms:** Fear of deep feelings pushes us to petty interests. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and express deep emotions rather than distract. Themes psychology human behavior emotion distraction Mood melancholic introspective wry Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal counseling - creative writing - mindfulness practice - conflict resolution Key Concepts existentialism self-awareness social critique Questions to Reflect On - What trivialities do you use to avoid discomfort? - How can you safely explore unsettling emotions? A Different Perspective Avoiding deep feelings can lead to emotional stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Stirred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-stirred-1529998/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [New Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-emotion-1584799/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Strange Trivial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-trivial-1584800/) [Trivial things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trivial-things/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Watched Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watched-strange-710413/) ## Related quotes > [“He watched it with that strange interest in trivial things that we try to develop when things of high import make us afriad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-watched-it-with-that-strange-interest-in-trivial-things-that-we/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“He watched it with that strange interest in trivial things that we try to develop when things of high import make us afraid, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-watched-it-with-that-strange-interest-in-trivial-things-that-we-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Dorian Gray listened, open-eyed and wondering. The spray of lilac fell from his hand upon the gravel. A furry bee came and buzzed round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/dorian-gray-listened-open-eyed-and-wondering-the-spray-of-lilac-fell/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [At the beginning of the World Series of 1947, I experienced a completely new emotion when the National Anthem was played. This time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-robinson/at-the-beginning-of-the-world-series-of-1947-i-experienced-a/) [Jackie Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-robinson/) > [“New can be an emotion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/new-can-be-an-emotion/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The more clear your view, the more real beauty you will see. Always new. Always fresh. 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Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/but-beauty-real-beauty-ends-where-an-intellectual-expression-begins/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [She was very near hating him now; yet the sound of his voice, the way the light fell on his thin, dark hair, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/she-was-very-near-hating-him-now-yet-the-sound-of-his-voice-the-way/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“Mr. Severin smiled, tiny constellations of reflected chandelier lights glinting in his eyes. "Since I've told you about my tastes... what are yours?" Cassandra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/mr-severin-smiled-tiny-constellations-of-reflected-chandelier-lights/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Why is it that we don't build human settlements that will feed themselves, and fuel themselves, and catch their own water, when any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/why-is-it-that-we-don-t-build-human-settlements-that-will-feed/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. 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For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Emotion quotes > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Of course I like you. 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