--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To tell people what to read is, as a…" description: "\"“To tell people what to read is, as a rule, either useless or harmful; for the appreciation of literature is a question of temperament not of teaching;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02b/oscar-wilde-16_books_to-tell-people-what-to-read-is-as-a-rule_1150465.jpg" --- # To tell people what to read is, as a rule, either useless… ![“To tell people what to read is, as a rule, either useless or harmful; for the appreciation of literature is a question of temperament not of teaching; to Parnassus there is no primer and nothing that one can learn is ever worth learning.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02b/oscar-wilde-16_books_to-tell-people-what-to-read-is-as-a-rule_1150465.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02b/oscar-wilde-16_books_to-tell-people-what-to-read-is-as-a-rule_1150465.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02b/oscar-wilde-16_books_to-tell-people-what-to-read-is-as-a-rule_1150465.jpg) > ““To tell people what to read is, as a rule, either useless or harmful; for the appreciation of literature is a question of temperament not of teaching; to Parnassus there is no primer and nothing that one can learn is ever worth learning.”” [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. Literature should be appreciated individually; imposing reading lists can be ineffective or damaging because taste is personal. **In simple terms:** Reading tastes are personal, not taught. Key Takeaway Encourage personal exploration of books. Themes literature individuality education taste freedom Mood critical thoughtful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - classroom teaching - book clubs - personal reading lists - library programming - literary criticism Key Concepts aesthetic appreciation personal growth pedagogy Questions to Reflect On - Is a curated reading list ever beneficial? - How can teachers respect diverse literary temperaments? A Different Perspective Not all readers respond to guided curricula; some need structure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appreciation Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciation-literature-3248541/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Literature Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-question-3039694/) [Read Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-rule-314409/) [Teaching Parnassus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching-parnassus-3248542/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Writers themselves benefit from all helpful information about their task and methods. 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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. 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