In terms of individual responsibility, I have always struggled with pinning selfishness on someone. Their classism provides the defensive mechanism that allows them to continuously gas themselves up and act like they’re ‘special’. The bourgeoisie are selfish - they think they perform the most important role in society, but actually they perform the least important role - they are merely showy, performative and excessive, just like our Remarkable Rocket. Why are people selfish? Why are people selfless? What is a reasonable amount of selfishness? How much can you pin on the individualism of capitalism/white culture, and how much should a person be responsible for? What if I am selfish? Wilde ties selfishness with class. I’ve spent the last few days thinking about selfishness. Wilde’s satire about a selfish rocket couldn’t have popped up at a more opportune moment in my life.
"Indeed, I have always been of opinion that hard work is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do." Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everybody in good society holds exactly the same opinions." "It is a very dangerous thing to know one's friends." "The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else." Anybody can have common sense, provided that they have no imagination." I am always thinking about myself, and I expect everybody else to do the same. In fact, you should be thinking about me. "What right have you to be happy? You should be thinking about others. "He always coughed before he made any observation, so as to attract attention." 'They are like the Aurora Borealis,' said the King, who always answered questions that were addressed to other people." " 'What are fireworks like?' she had asked the Prince. " 'It is quite clear that they love each other,' said the little Page, 'as clear as crystal!' and the King doubled his salary a second time." Only true lovers could drink out of this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew grey and dull and cloudy." "The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear crystal. As he received no salary at all this was not of much use to him, but it was considered a great honour, and was duly published in the Court Gazette." The King gave orders that the Page's salary was to be doubled. When he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand." "He had dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold.
Oscar Wilde at his romantic, sarcastic best : then turns sharply south as we follow a narcissist's downfall.
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