People who love only once in their lives are shallow people. What they call their loyalty, and their fidelity, I call either the lethargy of custom or their lack of imagination. Faithfulness is to the emotional life what consistency is to the life of the intellect -- simply a confession of failures.

Summary

This quote by Oscar Wilde challenges the concept of being deeply devoted to one person throughout a lifetime. Wilde argues that those who love only once are shallow, suggesting that their loyalty and fidelity are either products of habit or a lack of imagination. He likens faithfulness in relationships to acknowledging personal shortcomings. The quote suggests that having multiple experiences of love is a sign of emotional depth and intellectual agility, contrasting the idea of limiting oneself to a single romantic attachment.

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