--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a vulgar error to suppose that…" description: "\"It is a vulgar error to suppose that America was ever discovered. It was merely detected.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/oscar-wilde-16_america_it-is-a-vulgar-error-to-suppose-that-ame_3075911.jpg" --- # It is a vulgar error to suppose that America was ever… ![“It is a vulgar error to suppose that America was ever discovered. It was merely detected.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/oscar-wilde-16_america_it-is-a-vulgar-error-to-suppose-that-ame_3075911.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/oscar-wilde-16_america_it-is-a-vulgar-error-to-suppose-that-ame_3075911.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/oscar-wilde-16_america_it-is-a-vulgar-error-to-suppose-that-ame_3075911.jpg) > “It is a vulgar error to suppose that America was ever discovered. It was merely detected.” [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. America was not discovered but observed, implying its existence was already known before European claim. **In simple terms:** America was noticed, not discovered. Key Takeaway Recognize pre‑existing realities. Themes history philosophy colonialism Mood reflective critical Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - educational curricula - historical analysis - cultural studies - public discourse Key Concepts discovery myth cultural perception Eurocentric narratives Questions to Reflect On - What does “discovered” imply? - How does language shape perception? A Different Perspective May overlook indigenous histories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Discovered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-discovered-1280948/) [Detected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detected/) [Discovered Merely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovered-merely-5224123/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Merely Detected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merely-detected-1451184/) [Suppose America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suppose-america-5224122/) [Vulgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulgar/) ## Related quotes > [Perhaps, after all, America never has been discovered. I myself would say that it has merely been detected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/perhaps-after-all-america-never-has-been-discovered-i-myself-would/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Perhaps, after all, America never has been discovered,” said Mr. Erskine; “I myself would say that it had merely been detected.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/perhaps-after-all-america-never-has-been-discovered-said-mr-erskine-i/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [America had often been discovered before Columbus, but it had always been hushed up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/america-had-often-been-discovered-before-columbus-but-it-had-always/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [America was discovered accidentally by a great seaman who was looking for something else; when discovered it was not wanted; and most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/america-was-discovered-accidentally-by-a-great-seaman-who-was-looking/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [When America has been discovered in America it will be discovered in Europe. They are looking for America now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-stanley-lee/when-america-has-been-discovered-in-america-it-will-be-discovered-in/) [Gerald Stanley Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-stanley-lee/) > [America was discovered by Amerigo Vespucci and was named after him, until people got tired of living in a place called "Vespuccia" and changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/america-was-discovered-by-amerigo-vespucci-and-was-named-after-him/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [If he had had all Peru in his pocket, he would certainly have given it to this dancer; but Gringoire had not Peru in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/if-he-had-had-all-peru-in-his-pocket-he-would-certainly-have-given-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [If America had been discovered as many times as I have, no one would remember Columbus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-connery/if-america-had-been-discovered-as-many-times-as-i-have-no-one-would/) [Sean Connery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-connery/) > [In 1492, the natives discovered they were indians, discovered they lived in America, discovered they were naked, discovered that the Sin existed, discovered they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were-indians-discovered-they/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [“System 2 is activated when an event is detected that violates the model of the world that System 1 maintains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/system-2-is-activated-when-an-event-is-detected-that-violates-the/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [We know well that mistakes are more easily detected in the works of others than in one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/we-know-well-that-mistakes-are-more-easily-detected-in-the-works-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [The meaning of our existence is not invented by ourselves, but rather detected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/the-meaning-of-our-existence-is-not-invented-by-ourselves-but-rather/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“Whenever I write a paragraph in English, I first check it with the Google Translator, and most often it says no language detected.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/whenever-i-write-a-paragraph-in-english-i-first-check-it-with-the/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Chastity is curable, if detected early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/chastity-is-curable-if-detected-early/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [“There were no footmarks.' 'Meaning that you saw none?' 'I assure you, sir, that there were none.' 'My good Hopkins, I have investigated many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/there-were-no-footmarks-meaning-that-you-saw-none-i-assure-you-sir/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) ## 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. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. 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 America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is a vulgar error to suppose that America was ever discovered. 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