--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was always very curious as a young man…" description: "\"I was always very curious as a young man about why older writers who I met seemed so indifferent to what was going on, whereas I, in my 20s, was readin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/182/paul-auster-351_about_i-was-always-very-curious-as-a-young-man_1858127.jpg" --- # I was always very curious as a young man about why older… ![“I was always very curious as a young man about why older writers who I met seemed so indifferent to what was going on, whereas I, in my 20s, was reading everything. Everything seemed important. But they were only interested in the writers they admired when they were young, and I didn't understand…” quote by Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/182/paul-auster-351_about_i-was-always-very-curious-as-a-young-man_1858127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/182/paul-auster-351_about_i-was-always-very-curious-as-a-young-man_1858127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/182/paul-auster-351_about_i-was-always-very-curious-as-a-young-man_1858127.jpg) > “I was always very curious as a young man about why older writers who I met seemed so indifferent to what was going on, whereas I, in my 20s, was reading everything. Everything seemed important. But they were only interested in the writers they admired when they were young, and I didn't understand it then, but now, now I understand it.” [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on youthful curiosity versus older writers' selective interest, realizing that age narrows focus to admired influences. **In simple terms:** Young readers absorb everything; older writers focus on past inspirations. Key Takeaway Recognize how perspective shifts with age. Themes curiosity age literary influence growth reflection Mood contemplative nostalgic Type reflective insightful When to use this quote - early career reading - mid‑life mentorship - literary criticism - personal growth Key Concepts nostalgia selective attention intellectual development Questions to Reflect On - How does your age affect what you value? - What can you learn from both broad curiosity and focused expertise? A Different Perspective Older writers may miss emerging ideas due to entrenched preferences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I've gone to readings to see authors after meeting them on Twitter. 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