“There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating – people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.”
- October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900
- Irish
- Author, poet, playwright
- Written novels, plays, and poems such as “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” “The Importance of Being Earnest,” and “Salome,” he had a great influence on British literature in the late 19th century through his witty social criticism and humor.
Quote
“There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating – people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.”
Explanation
In this quote, Oscar Wilde humorously observes that true fascination arises from extremes: either from individuals who are omniscient, knowing everything and thus embodying a sense of authority or mastery, or from those who know nothing, creating a sense of mystery and curiosity. Wilde suggests that both types of people—one because of their overwhelming knowledge and the other because of their ignorance—invite a unique intrigue. The person who knows everything holds a kind of power or grandeur, while the person who knows nothing evokes fascination due to their simplicity or the curiosity that comes from their lack of knowledge.
Wilde’s quote plays with the paradoxes of knowledge and human nature, suggesting that people who fall into the extremes of knowledge or ignorance become more captivating because they defy expectations and elude easy understanding. Moderation or a balanced middle ground, where most people reside, is not as intriguing, as it offers fewer surprises and less mystery.
In modern contexts, this quote speaks to how we are drawn to both experts and enigmatic figures—whether in science, philosophy, or culture—because they offer us something that fascinates us. Wilde’s words encourage us to reflect on our relationship with knowledge and how extremes, rather than moderation, often capture our attention. Whether we seek the certainty of the all-knowing or the wonder of the unknown, it’s the extremes that seem to engage our curiosity the most.
