The first duty of life is to be as artificial as possible. What the second duty is no one as yet discovered.

Summary

This quote by Oscar Wilde sarcastically comments on the societal expectation to conform and put on a façade in order to be accepted. Wilde implies that people are encouraged to be artificial, presenting an manufactured version of themselves that adheres to the norms and expectations of society. However, he adds irony by stating that nobody has truly figured out what the second duty of life is beyond this superficiality, suggesting that the pursuit of authenticity and self-discovery remains elusive in a world that prioritizes artificiality.

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