--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is absurd to say that there are…" description: "\"It is absurd to say that there are neither ruins nor curiosities in America when they have their mothers and their manners.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/oscar-wilde-16_absurd_it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neith_2092868.jpg" --- # It is absurd to say that there are neither ruins nor… ![“It is absurd to say that there are neither ruins nor curiosities in America when they have their mothers and their manners.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/oscar-wilde-16_absurd_it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neith_2092868.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/oscar-wilde-16_absurd_it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neith_2092868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/oscar-wilde-16_absurd_it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neith_2092868.jpg) > “It is absurd to say that there are neither ruins nor curiosities in America when they have their mothers and their manners.” [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’s culture is defined by its mothers and manners, making it neither ruin nor curiosity. **In simple terms:** American identity tied to family and etiquette. Key Takeaway Respect cultural roots. Themes culture identity tradition Mood witty critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - travel - education - cross‑cultural work - political analysis Key Concepts sociology anthropology national character Questions to Reflect On - How do you define “America”? - What role do manners play in identity? A Different Perspective Overgeneralizing a nation’s culture can be reductive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) ## Related quotes > [It is absurd to say that the age of miracles is past. It has not yet begun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-absurd-to-say-that-the-age-of-miracles-is-past-it-has-not-yet/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [In far too many families with young children, both parents are working, when, if they really took an honest look at the budget, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/in-far-too-many-families-with-young-children-both-parents-are-working/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [No one is more sentimentalized in America than mothers on Mother's Day, but no one is more often blamed for the culture's bad people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/no-one-is-more-sentimentalized-in-america-than-mothers-on-mother-s/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The bottom line in my view is that America's mothers and fathers deserve to have confidence in law enforcement's ability to ensure that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ney/the-bottom-line-in-my-view-is-that-america-s-mothers-and-fathers/) [Bob Ney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ney/) > [Arizona may be the only state in America where mothers don't tell their children that someday, they can grow up and be president of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/arizona-may-be-the-only-state-in-america-where-mothers-don-t-tell/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [It is simply absurd to say you believe, or even want to believe, in Him, if you do not do anything He tells you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-simply-absurd-to-say-you-believe-or-even-want-to-believe-in-him/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [It is absurd to say in respect of any intelligence that it is infallible, but if you ask me what I believe, I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/it-is-absurd-to-say-in-respect-of-any-intelligence-that-it-is/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I have never learned to say 'gas' for gasoline. It seems to me as absurd as if I were to say 'but' for butter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roberts-rinehart/i-have-never-learned-to-say-gas-for-gasoline-it-seems-to-me-as-absurd/) [Mary Roberts Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roberts-rinehart/) > [It would be absurd to say I'm not British - you can hear it when I speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/it-would-be-absurd-to-say-i-m-not-british-you-can-hear-it-when-i-speak/) [Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/) > [Instead of asking yourself whether you believe or not, ask yourself whether you have, this day, done one thing because He said, Do it!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/instead-of-asking-yourself-whether-you-believe-or-not-ask-yourself/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In England it is enough for a man to try and produce any serious, beautiful work to lose all his rights as a citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-england-it-is-enough-for-a-man-to-try-and-produce-any-serious/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The English public takes no interest in a work of art until it is told that the work in question is immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-english-public-takes-no-interest-in-a-work-of-art-until-it-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Thinking is the most unhealthy thing in the world, and people die of it just as they die of any other disease. Fortunately, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/thinking-is-the-most-unhealthy-thing-in-the-world-and-people-die-of-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Sometimes the poor are praised for being thrifty. But to recommend thrift to the poor is both grotesque and insulting. It is like advising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/sometimes-the-poor-are-praised-for-being-thrifty-but-to-recommend/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Life is too short to learn German](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/life-is-too-short-to-learn-german/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## 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 Absurd quotes > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [When a person’s tongue is extensively wrong, it is absurd, no less than unscriptural, to say that their heart is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/when-a-person-s-tongue-is-extensively-wrong-it-is-absurd-no-less-than/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is human nature to think wisely and to act in an absurd fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-human-nature-to-think-wisely-and-to-act-in-an-absurd-fashion/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought to myself: if it’s true that every person has a star in the sky, mine must be distant, dim, and absurd. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadegh-hedayat/i-thought-to-myself-if-it-s-true-that-every-person-has-a-star-in-the/) [Sadegh Hedayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadegh-hedayat/) > [If, indeed, a firearm were more dangerous to its possessors than to potential aggressors, would it not make sense for the government to arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/if-indeed-a-firearm-were-more-dangerous-to-its-possessors-than-to/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. Not mildly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-heard-enough-classical-music-to-be-able-to-enjoy-it-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [To deprecate human reason by saying that none of us is or can be omniscient is absurd, for it takes an impossible standard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/to-deprecate-human-reason-by-saying-that-none-of-us-is-or-can-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [The absurd duty, too often inculcated, of obeying a parent only on account of his being a parent, shackles the mind, and prepares it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/the-absurd-duty-too-often-inculcated-of-obeying-a-parent-only-on/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. 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But solitude also produces perverseness, the disproportianate, the absurd and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/solitude-produces-originality-bold-and-astonishing-beauty-poetry-but/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) [Browse all 1,644 Absurd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is absurd to say that there are neither ruins nor curiosities in America when they have their mothers and their manners.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neither-ruins-nor-curiosities-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absurd" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neither-ruins-nor-curiosities-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/oscar-wilde-16_absurd_it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neith_2092868.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/oscar-wilde-16_absurd_it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neith_2092868.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/oscar-wilde-16_absurd_it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neith_2092868.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is absurd to say that there are neither ruins nor curiosities in America when they have their mothers and…” — Oscar Wilde", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is absurd to say that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neither-ruins-nor-curiosities-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-absurd-to-say-that-there-are-neither-ruins-nor-curiosities-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```