--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One should absorb the colour of life, but…" description: "\"One should absorb the colour of life, but one should never remember its details. Details are always vulgar.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7a/oscar-wilde-16_colour_one-should-absorb-the-colour-of-life-but_1136529.jpg" --- # One should absorb the colour of life, but one should never… ![“One should absorb the colour of life, but one should never remember its details. Details are always vulgar.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7a/oscar-wilde-16_colour_one-should-absorb-the-colour-of-life-but_1136529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7a/oscar-wilde-16_colour_one-should-absorb-the-colour-of-life-but_1136529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7a/oscar-wilde-16_colour_one-should-absorb-the-colour-of-life-but_1136529.jpg) > “One should absorb the colour of life, but one should never remember its details. Details are always vulgar.” [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. Life should be experienced in broad strokes, not fixated on trivial specifics that can become tawdry. **In simple terms:** Live fully, ignore petty details. Key Takeaway Focus on the essence, not minutiae. Themes art philosophy living perspective Mood reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - social gatherings - personal reflection - creative work - daily routines Key Concepts Aestheticism existentialism subjectivity Questions to Reflect On - What details do you let dominate your perception? - How can you cultivate a broader view of life? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on detail can hinder appreciation of larger meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Colour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colour/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Vulgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulgar/) ## Related quotes > [“Details are always vulgar”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/details-are-always-vulgar/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [You never have to look over your shoulder when you tell the truth. You never have to remember the details, because they are what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-never-have-to-look-over-your-shoulder-when-you-tell-the-truth-you/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [“I never understood how men could remember all those details about sports but, yet, were incapable of remembering where they set their car keys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-reber/i-never-understood-how-men-could-remember-all-those-details-about/) [Tina Reber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-reber/) > [Before we shot the pilot, I knew what 'Dallas' was, but I actually was too young to remember the details of the show. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-henderson/before-we-shot-the-pilot-i-knew-what-dallas-was-but-i-actually-was/) [Josh Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-henderson/) > [I could remember the details as if it had happened yesterday, even though it was hard to believe some of it had happened at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/i-could-remember-the-details-as-if-it-had-happened-yesterday-even/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [“I try to remind myself when I feel great like this that there will be another terrible week coming someday, so I should store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-try-to-remind-myself-when-i-feel-great-like-this-that-there-will-be/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“The most I can ever do is write things down. To remember them. The details. To honor them in some way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/the-most-i-can-ever-do-is-write-things-down-to-remember-them-the/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I take a lot of notes. Maybe it's a product of me taking so many notes, but I have a pretty good memory for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-schull/i-take-a-lot-of-notes-maybe-it-s-a-product-of-me-taking-so-many-notes/) [Amanda Schull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-schull/) > [“Remembering things or processing memories can be a charged, or frightening, or uncomfortable time. It can help to imagine yourself being a reporter. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-t-w/remembering-things-or-processing-memories-can-be-a-charged-or/) A.T.W > [“Try to remember some details. For the world is filled with people who were torn from their sleep with no one to mend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehuda-amichai/try-to-remember-some-details-for-the-world-is-filled-with-people-who/) [Yehuda Amichai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehuda-amichai/) > [It doesn't matter that I can't remember the details any longer: death happened to her. Death happens to all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-doesn-t-matter-that-i-can-t-remember-the-details-any-longer-death/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I remember everything, even the dates. But I don't want others to remember the details, just the image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-grahame/i-remember-everything-even-the-dates-but-i-don-t-want-others-to/) [Gloria Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-grahame/) > [I was worried that one day, 40 years from now, I would look back and wouldn't be able to remember the details of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/i-was-worried-that-one-day-40-years-from-now-i-would-look-back-and/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [We remember the details of our story, we do not invent them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/we-remember-the-details-of-our-story-we-do-not-invent-them/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“I know what has happened to my body though my mind does not remember the details. The realization causes my focus to clear with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shayne-mcclendon/i-know-what-has-happened-to-my-body-though-my-mind-does-not-remember/) [Shayne McClendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shayne-mcclendon/) ## 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 Colour quotes > [Alfred Nobel stipulated that no distinction of race or colour will determine who received of his generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdus-salam/alfred-nobel-stipulated-that-no-distinction-of-race-or-colour-will/) [Abdus Salam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdus-salam/) > [I sometimes wish taste wasn't ever an issue, and the sounds of instruments or synths could be judged solely on their colour and timbre.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-greenwood/i-sometimes-wish-taste-wasn-t-ever-an-issue-and-the-sounds-of/) [Jonny Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-greenwood/) > [Half of the pleasure of painting and feeling the joy of the creative act is sharing it with others and the feeling of connection.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/half-of-the-pleasure-of-painting-and-feeling-the-joy-of-the-creative/) [Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/) > [I am a great lover of art, in many forms: paintings, objets, textiles. I don't have the talent for painting, but I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-bisset/i-am-a-great-lover-of-art-in-many-forms-paintings-objets-textiles-i/) [Jacqueline Bisset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-bisset/) > [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/) [Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/) > [Ah, Manet has come very, very close to it and Courbet - the marrying of form and colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-manet-has-come-very-very-close-to-it-and-courbet-the-marrying-of/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [It is not necessary to have an extravagant food budget in order to serve things with variety and tastefully cooked. It is not necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/it-is-not-necessary-to-have-an-extravagant-food-budget-in-order-to/) [Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/) > [People frequently ask me why I devote so much time to seeking out facts about man’s past…the past shows clearly that we all have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leakey/people-frequently-ask-me-why-i-devote-so-much-time-to-seeking-out/) [Louis Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leakey/) > [Walk out like someone suddenly born into colour. Do it now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/walk-out-like-someone-suddenly-born-into-colour-do-it-now/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [As soon as I turned the key I saw it hanging, the color of fire and sunset. the colour of flamboyant flowers. ‘If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/as-soon-as-i-turned-the-key-i-saw-it-hanging-the-color-of-fire-and/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [All color is no color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/all-color-is-no-color/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [To me, grey is the welcome and only possible equivalent for indifference, noncommitment, absence of opinion, absence of shape. But grey, like formlessness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/to-me-grey-is-the-welcome-and-only-possible-equivalent-for/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [William," the professor said, softly, "what now is your weapon?"…"Truth," he whispered, his voice rasping. He cleared his throat. "Truth is my sword." …"And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-davis/william-the-professor-said-softly-what-now-is-your-weapon-truth-he/) [Bryan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-davis/) > [Sound trumpets! Let our bloody colours wave! And either victory, or else a grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/sound-trumpets-let-our-bloody-colours-wave-and-either-victory-or-else/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [We get used to a certain kind of colour of form or format, and it's acceptable. 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