Oscar Wilde - Aphorisms

Of everything that I have read from Oscar Wilde, the ending section of aphorisms is what caught my attention. Oscar Wild showed me that he is a man of great wisdom, intelligence, and humor, all in this very section. His aphorisms range from subjects of marriage, to general life statements, to the opposite sex. Although I enjoyed many of the aphorisms, my personal favorite comes from his work titled The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde writes, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about" (pg 887, Eigth Aphorism). This particular statement grasped my attention and made me ponder on what Wilde may mean.

Personally, I feel as though Wilde was trying to say that one must be successful in life. If you do not succeed in life and put your own mark on the world, then you will not be noticed and no one will have a reason to talk about you. However, if you are very successful in life and accomplish many, if not all, of your goals, then the world has a reason to talk about and know your name.

Gossip may be annoying, but when people gossip about you, you have done something to be noticed. Personally, I have many major goals that I must accomplish in life before I can truly be as successful as I would like to be. Nonetheless, I am well on my way and I will soon be a topic of discussion. This aphorism from Oscar Wilde has inspired me to really reach for the stars and complete my goals. If my name is not known, then I have done nothing to be remembered by. As previously stated, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about" (pg 887, Eigth Aphorism).