--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seriousness is the last refuge of the…" description: "\"Seriousness is the last refuge of the shallow.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/oscar-wilde-16_humor_seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-sh_894076.jpg" --- # Seriousness is the last refuge of the shallow. ![“Seriousness is the last refuge of the shallow.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/oscar-wilde-16_humor_seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-sh_894076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/oscar-wilde-16_humor_seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-sh_894076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/oscar-wilde-16_humor_seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-sh_894076.jpg) > “Seriousness is the last refuge of the shallow.” [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. Shallow people cling to seriousness to mask lack of depth. **In simple terms:** Seriousness hides superficiality. Key Takeaway Question deeper, not just appear serious. Themes intellectualism self‑protection depth Mood reflective critical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - social gatherings - academic debates - online arguments - personal introspection - creative work Key Concepts philosophy psychology self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - Do you use seriousness to avoid vulnerability? - When does seriousness become a barrier? A Different Perspective Seriousness can alienate others and stifle openness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Refuge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuge/) [Seriousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seriousness/) ## Related quotes > [Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/seriousness-is-the-only-refuge-of-the-shallow/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Seriousness is the refuge of the shallow. There are events and personal experiences that call forth seriousness but they are fewer than most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/seriousness-is-the-refuge-of-the-shallow-there-are-events-and/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [“Sincerity is the last refuge of the shallow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/sincerity-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-shallow/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The seriousness or otherwise of the subject matter is often irrelevent to the question of whether a book is any good. F Scott Fitzgerald…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-lynch/the-seriousness-or-otherwise-of-the-subject-matter-is-often/) [Declan Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-lynch/) > [Taking sides is the beginning of sincerity, and earnestness follows shortly afterwards, and the human being becomes a bore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/taking-sides-is-the-beginning-of-sincerity-and-earnestness-follows/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Dullness is the coming of age of seriousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/dullness-is-the-coming-of-age-of-seriousness/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Humanity takes itself too seriously. It is the world's original sin. If the cave-man had known how to laugh, History would have been different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/humanity-takes-itself-too-seriously-it-is-the-world-s-original-sin-if-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [My dear boy, the people who love only once in their lives are really the shallow people. What they call their loyalty, and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/my-dear-boy-the-people-who-love-only-once-in-their-lives-are-really/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [With subtle and finely-wrought temperaments it is always so. Their strong passions must either bruise or bend. They either slay the man, or themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/with-subtle-and-finely-wrought-temperaments-it-is-always-so-their/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Shallow sorrows and shallow loves live on. The loves and sorrows that are great are destroyed by their own plenitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/shallow-sorrows-and-shallow-loves-live-on-the-loves-and-sorrows-that/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [It is only shallow people who require years to get rid of an emotion. A man who is master of himself can end a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-only-shallow-people-who-require-years-to-get-rid-of-an-emotion/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [There are moments when one has to choose between living one's own life, fully, entirely, completely-or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-are-moments-when-one-has-to-choose-between-living-one-s-own/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The people who love only once in their lives are really the shallow people. (...) Faithfulness is to the emotional life what consistency is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-people-who-love-only-once-in-their-lives-are-really-the-shallow/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [ Cecily. This is no time for wearing the shallow mask of manners. When I see a spade I call it a spade. Gwendolen. \[Satirically.\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/cecily-this-is-no-time-for-wearing-the-shallow-mask-of-manners-when-i/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-only-shallow-people-who-do-not-judge-by-appearances/) [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 Humor quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [In my opinion, sexiness comes down to three things: chemistry, sense of humor, and treatment of waitstaff at restaurants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/in-my-opinion-sexiness-comes-down-to-three-things-chemistry-sense-of/) [Rhoda Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/) > [“...I haven't guessed where your shirt is from yet Bane, but I don't think it'll matter once it's underwater!' Tristan looked at Bane questioningly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-k-munt/i-haven-t-guessed-where-your-shirt-is-from-yet-bane-but-i-don-t-think/) S.K. Munt > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/) TimBur > [“ “Do Southerners laugh at different things than Northerners do? Yes, I say--Northerners.” Roy Blount, Jr., Roy Blount’s Book of Southern Humor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/do-southerners-laugh-at-different-things-than-northerners-do-yes-i/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) [Browse all 33,155 Humor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Seriousness is the last refuge of the shallow.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-shallow/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Humor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-shallow/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/oscar-wilde-16_humor_seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-sh_894076.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/oscar-wilde-16_humor_seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-sh_894076.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/oscar-wilde-16_humor_seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-sh_894076.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Seriousness is the last refuge of the shallow.” — 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": "Seriousness is the last refuge of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-shallow/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/seriousness-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-shallow/#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 } } ] } ```