“I want my food dead. Not sick, not dying, dead.”
- 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
“I want my food dead. Not sick, not dying, dead.”
Explanation
In this blunt and somewhat shocking quote, Oscar Wilde humorously expresses his preference for food that is fully prepared and ready to be consumed, rather than something that is still in the process of being cooked or prepared. The use of the word “dead” emphasizes his desire for certainty and finality—he does not want food that is still in an uncertain or incomplete state. Wilde’s stark choice of words plays with the idea of control and completeness, suggesting that he values clarity and assurance in his food choices, just as he may in other areas of life.
This quote also highlights Wilde’s wit and his tendency to challenge societal conventions, even in something as mundane as food. By framing food in terms of life and death, Wilde injects a touch of the dramatic and absurd into a simple preference, making a point about the human tendency to overcomplicate even the simplest of decisions. It also reflects Wilde’s often extreme and paradoxical sense of humor, where he uses the exaggeration of wanting food to be definitively “dead” to expose the absurdity in everyday expectations.
In modern contexts, this quote might be seen as a critique of food culture or the trends surrounding food preparation, where people sometimes seek more complex or morally-loaded choices (such as the ethical debates surrounding meat consumption). Wilde’s words remind us that personal preferences, even in something as basic as food, can be direct and decisive, and that humor can be a powerful way to approach the mundane aspects of life.
