Quote by Wallace Stevens
To be young is all there is in the world. They talk so beautifully about work and having a family and a home (and I do, too, sometimes) --but it's all worry and head-aches and respectable poverty and forced gushing. Telling people how nice it is, when, in reality, you would give all of your last thirty years for one of your first thirty. Old people are tremendous frauds.
Summary
This quote expresses the sentiment that youth is the essence of life. The speaker criticizes the societal expectations placed upon individuals as they grow older, highlighting the superficiality of work, family, and material possessions. The speaker believes that these aspirations merely bring worry, headaches, and the illusion of respectability and wealth. According to the quote, older people are seen as deceitful for perpetuating the idea that life improves with age when, in reality, the speaker longs to relive the vitality and freedom of their younger years.
Topics
Youth
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