Childishness Quote by Vita Sackville-West
““I am not a simpleton', he said, 'nor am I a childish old man. I dislike childishness and all such rubbish. I feel nothing but impatience with the people who pretend that the world is other than it is. The world, Lady Slane, is pitiably horrible. It is horrible because it is based upon competitive struggle - and really one does not know whether to call the basis of that struggle a convention or a necessity. Is it some extraordinary delusion, or is it a law of life?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Edwardians, 1927
The speaker rejects naive simplicity and childishness, criticizing society's competitive struggle as possibly a necessary or artificial construct, questioning its moral basis.
In simple terms: Rejects naivety, challenges competitive society
Key Takeaway
Question societal foundations
Themes
philosophy
criticism
human nature
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- academic discussion
- political debate
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Existentialism
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives humanity's competitive instincts?
- Can competition be both necessary and harmful?
A Different Perspective
The view may overlook cooperative benefits of competition.
![“Among the great men who have philosophized about [the action of the tides], the one who surprised me most is Kepler. He was a person of independent genius, [but he] became interested in the action of the moon on the water, and in other occult phenomena, and similar childishness.” quote by Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/96d/galileo-galilei-2377_action_among-the-great-men-who-have-philosophiz_131150.jpg)
