Bad people Quote by Susan Sontag
““It's absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious." - Lady Windemere's Fan 23. In naïve, or pure, Camp, the essential element is seriousness, a seriousness that fails. Of course, not all seriousness that fails can be redeemed as Camp. Only that which has the proper mixture of the exaggerated, the fantastic, the passionate, and the naïve.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Notes on Camp, Susan Sontag, 1964
The quote critiques binary moral labeling and describes Camp as a serious yet exaggerated aesthetic that blends the fantastic with the naïve.
In simple terms: Avoid simple good‑bad labels; Camp mixes seriousness with exaggeration.
Key Takeaway
Embrace nuance and playful seriousness.
Themes
aity
art criticism
binary thinking
exaggeration
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- fashion critique
- visual arts
- cultural analysis
- media studies
Key Concepts
Camp
aesthetic theory
seriousness
Questions to Reflect On
- How does Camp challenge conventional morality?
- When does seriousness become absurd?
A Different Perspective
Camp can be misunderstood as frivolous, limiting its impact.
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
