--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A young man who is unable to commit a…" description: "\"A young man who is unable to commit a folly is already an old man.\" — Paul Gauguin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/paul-gauguin-2667_commit_a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-fo_1006773.png" --- # A young man who is unable to commit a folly is already an… ![“A young man who is unable to commit a folly is already an old man.” quote by Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/paul-gauguin-2667_commit_a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-fo_1006773.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/paul-gauguin-2667_commit_a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-fo_1006773.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/paul-gauguin-2667_commit_a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-fo_1006773.png) > “A young man who is unable to commit a folly is already an old man.” [Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Inability to indulge in foolishness signals premature aging of the spirit. **In simple terms:** Lacking playfulness ages you early. Key Takeaway Embrace harmless folly to stay youthful. Themes philosophy aging playfulness Mood lighthearted inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - creative pursuits - social interactions - learning new skills Key Concepts existential psychology life balance Questions to Reflect On - What harmless risks can you take? - How does playfulness affect creativity? A Different Perspective Excessive frivolity can be harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commit/) [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Folly Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly-old-955064/) [Man Unable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-unable-759828/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-man/) ## Related quotes > [Beauty and folly are old companions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/beauty-and-folly-are-old-companions/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [That folly of old age which is called dotage is peculiar to silly old men, not to age itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/that-folly-of-old-age-which-is-called-dotage-is-peculiar-to-silly-old/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [According to Montaigne, it was the oppressive notion that we had complete mental control over our bodies, and the horror of departing from this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/according-to-montaigne-it-was-the-oppressive-notion-that-we-had/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [What concerns me is that man, unable to articulate, to express himself adequately, reverts to action. 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But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wood-krutch/man-is-perhaps-no-more-prone-to-war-than-he-used-to-be-and-no-more/) [Joseph Wood Krutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wood-krutch/) > [You can commit no greater folly than to sit by the road side until someone comes along and invites you to ride with him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartholomew-gough/you-can-commit-no-greater-folly-than-to-sit-by-the-road-side-until/) [John Bartholomew Gough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartholomew-gough/) ## More by Paul Gauguin > [In art, all who have done something other than their predecessors have merited the epithet of revolutionary; and it is they alone who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/in-art-all-who-have-done-something-other-than-their-predecessors-have/) [Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/) > [It is well for young men to have a model, but let them draw the curtain over it while they are painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/it-is-well-for-young-men-to-have-a-model-but-let-them-draw-the/) [Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/) > [Today one can dare anything, and, furthermore, nobody is surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/today-one-can-dare-anything-and-furthermore-nobody-is-surprised/) [Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/) > [It was so simple to paint things as I saw them; to put without special calculation a red close to a blue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/it-was-so-simple-to-paint-things-as-i-saw-them-to-put-without-special/) [Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/) > [Out in the sun, some painters are lined up. 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I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-like-to-always-wash-the-slate-clean-and-reinvigorate-my-spirit-to/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [You get a script and you love it. You find a director that you trust, and it becomes all about how do I commit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-van-der-beek/you-get-a-script-and-you-love-it-you-find-a-director-that-you-trust/) [James Van Der Beek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-van-der-beek/) > [Ok, look. I'm honest. Girl I can't lie I miss you. 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Not hit and quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhecky/love-and-commit-not-hit-and-quit/) [Jhecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhecky/) [Browse all 1,824 Commit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A young man who is unable to commit a folly is already an old man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Gauguin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-folly-is-already-an-old-man/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commit" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-folly-is-already-an-old-man/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/paul-gauguin-2667_commit_a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-fo_1006773.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/paul-gauguin-2667_commit_a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-fo_1006773.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/paul-gauguin-2667_commit_a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-fo_1006773.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A young man who is unable to commit a folly is already an old man.” — Paul Gauguin", "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": "Paul Gauguin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A young man who is unable...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-folly-is-already-an-old-man/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/a-young-man-who-is-unable-to-commit-a-folly-is-already-an-old-man/#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 } } ] } ```