--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is better to have a permanent income…" description: "\"It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/oscar-wilde-16_fascinating_it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income_1909632.jpg" --- # It is better to have a permanent income than to be… ![“It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/oscar-wilde-16_fascinating_it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income_1909632.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/oscar-wilde-16_fascinating_it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income_1909632.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/oscar-wilde-16_fascinating_it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income_1909632.jpg) > “It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.” [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. A stable, lasting income is more valuable than a charismatic but unstable lifestyle. **In simple terms:** Steady income beats fleeting fascination. Key Takeaway Prioritize financial stability. Themes finance values stability charisma Mood cautious pragmatic Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - career planning - budgeting - relationship advice Key Concepts economics philosophy social critique Questions to Reflect On - Is fame worth financial risk? - How to balance income and passion? A Different Perspective Fascination can be unsustainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) ## Related quotes > [Even temporary happiness is much better than permanent misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/even-temporary-happiness-is-much-better-than-permanent-misery/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating - people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-people-who-are-really-fascinating-people/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Lord Darlington (LD): I think life too complex a thing to be settled by these hard and fast rules. Lady Windemere (LW): If we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/lord-darlington-ld-i-think-life-too-complex-a-thing-to-be-settled-by/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [A great poet, a really great poet, is the most unpoetical of all creatures. But inferior poets are absolutely fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/a-great-poet-a-really-great-poet-is-the-most-unpoetical-of-all/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [They flaunt their conjugal felicity in one's face, as if it were the most fascinating of sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/they-flaunt-their-conjugal-felicity-in-one-s-face-as-if-it-were-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [ In the name of short-term stimulus, he \[Obama\] will give every American family (who makes less than $200,000) a welfare check of $1,000 euphemistically… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/in-the-name-of-short-term-stimulus-he-obama-will-give-every-american/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [The bottom line for Canada is that Kyoto will precipitate a recession that will cause a permanent reduction in employment, income and the size…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-mckitrick/the-bottom-line-for-canada-is-that-kyoto-will-precipitate-a-recession/) [Ross McKitrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-mckitrick/) > [It was not until the Abraham Lincoln administration that an income tax was imposed on Americans. Its stated purpose was to finance the war,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/it-was-not-until-the-abraham-lincoln-administration-that-an-income/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [Living in England is fascinating: I discover a new world every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/living-in-england-is-fascinating-i-discover-a-new-world-every-day/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [“Amateur psychiatric prognosis can be fascinating when there is absolutely nothing else to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-condon/amateur-psychiatric-prognosis-can-be-fascinating-when-there-is/) [Richard Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-condon/) > [“And when I’d settled down, I considered the possibility that I wasn’t yet ready to ask for the love of anyone because I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-decker/and-when-i-d-settled-down-i-considered-the-possibility-that-i-wasn-t/) [Steven Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-decker/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [I really like all of the characters in 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt, especially Camilla, the one girl. I find her fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-murray/i-really-like-all-of-the-characters-in-the-secret-history-by-donna/) [Hannah Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-murray/) > [I find the family the most mysterious and fascinating institution in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-find-the-family-the-most-mysterious-and-fascinating-institution-in/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) ## 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 Fascinating quotes > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [I find the family the most mysterious and fascinating institution in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-find-the-family-the-most-mysterious-and-fascinating-institution-in/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [I really like all of the characters in 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt, especially Camilla, the one girl. I find her fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-murray/i-really-like-all-of-the-characters-in-the-secret-history-by-donna/) [Hannah Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-murray/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [“And when I’d settled down, I considered the possibility that I wasn’t yet ready to ask for the love of anyone because I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-decker/and-when-i-d-settled-down-i-considered-the-possibility-that-i-wasn-t/) [Steven Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-decker/) > [“Amateur psychiatric prognosis can be fascinating when there is absolutely nothing else to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-condon/amateur-psychiatric-prognosis-can-be-fascinating-when-there-is/) [Richard Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-condon/) > [Living in England is fascinating: I discover a new world every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/living-in-england-is-fascinating-i-discover-a-new-world-every-day/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > ['Sopranos' was a fascinating moment, just catching our whole culture by surprise, a fun ride to be on while I'm learning the craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/sopranos-was-a-fascinating-moment-just-catching-our-whole-culture-by/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [The most fascinating powers don't mean a thing if the guy's poorly motivated or dull, and the most generic powers won't hurt a well-motivated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/the-most-fascinating-powers-don-t-mean-a-thing-if-the-guy-s-poorly/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [Beastly of him to die before you realized he might be fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-alexander/beastly-of-him-to-die-before-you-realized-he-might-be-fascinating/) [Tasha Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-alexander/) > [The first information I consume in the morning is probably 'The New York Times' and then my Twitter feed. I think Twitter is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzo-aduba/the-first-information-i-consume-in-the-morning-is-probably-the-new/) [Uzo Aduba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzo-aduba/) > [I think genetic research is a fascinating and fertile area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/i-think-genetic-research-is-a-fascinating-and-fertile-area/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [More and more I like to take a train. I understand why the French prefer it to automobiling it is so much more sociable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/more-and-more-i-like-to-take-a-train-i-understand-why-the-french/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Well, I think storytellers have always found murder a fascinating device.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/well-i-think-storytellers-have-always-found-murder-a-fascinating/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) Browse all 1,276 Fascinating quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income-than-to-be-fascinating/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fascinating" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income-than-to-be-fascinating/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/oscar-wilde-16_fascinating_it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income_1909632.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/oscar-wilde-16_fascinating_it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income_1909632.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/oscar-wilde-16_fascinating_it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income_1909632.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.” — 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 better to have a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income-than-to-be-fascinating/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-better-to-have-a-permanent-income-than-to-be-fascinating/#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 } } ] } ```