I think “taste” is a social concept and not an artistic one. I’m willing to show good taste, if I can, in somebody else’s living room, but our reading life is too short for a writer to be in any way polite. Since his words enter into another’s brain in silence and intimacy, he should be as honest and explicit as we are with ourselves.
—John Updike (1932–2009) American Novelist, Poet, Short-Story Writer
The aim of life is appreciation; there is no sense in not appreciating things; and there is no sense in having more of them if you have less appreciation of them.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
I cannot cure myself of that most woeful of youth’s follies—thinking that those who care about us will care for the things that mean much to us.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
To possess taste, one must have some soul.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
I think I may define taste to be that faculty of the soul which discerns the beauties of an author with pleasure, and the imperfections with dislike.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
It is good taste, and good taste alone, that possesses the power to sterilize and is always the first handicap to any creative functioning.
—Salvador Dali (1904–89) Spanish Painter
Everyone carries his own inch rule of taste, and amuse himself by applying it, triumphantly, wherever he travels.
—Henry Adams (1838–1918) American Historian, Man of Letters
The hard truth is that what may be acceptable in elite culture may not be acceptable in mass culture, that tastes which pose only innocent ethical issues as the property of a minority become corrupting when they become more established. Taste is context, and the context has changed.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher
A man is known by the books he reads, by the company he keeps, by the praise he gives, by his dress, by his tastes, by his distastes, by the stories he tells, by his gait, by the motion of his eye, by the look of his house, of his chamber; for nothing on earth is solitary, but everything hath affinities infinite.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Good taste is the first refuge of the non creative. It is the last ditch stand of the artist.
—Marshall Mcluhan (1911–80) Canadian Writer, Thinker, Educator
Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness.
—Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) Spanish Painter, Sculptor, Artist
Without taste genius is only a sublime kind of folly. That sure touch which the lyre gives back the right note and nothing more, is even a rarer gift than the creative faculty itself.
—Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand (1768–1848) French Writer, Academician, Statesman
What is exhilarating in bad taste is the aristocratic pleasure of giving offense.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
Delicacy of taste has the same effect as delicacy of passion; it enlarges the sphere both of our happiness and misery, and makes us sensible to pain as well as pleasures, which escape the rest of mankind.
—David Hume (1711–76) Scottish Philosopher, Historian
Taste has no system and no proofs.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher
Talk what you will of taste, you will find two of a face as soon as two of a mind.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Taste may change, but inclination never.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Taste cannot be controlled by law.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Taste is, so to speak, the microscope of the judgment.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
For a long time I found the celebrities of modern painting and poetry ridiculous. I loved absurd pictures, fanlights, stage scenery, mountebanks backcloths, inn-signs, cheap colored prints; unfashionable literature, church Latin, pornographic books badly spelt, grandmothers novels, fairy stories, little books for children, old operas, empty refrains, simple rhythms.
—Arthur Rimbaud (1854–91) French Poet, Adventurer
One of the surest evidences of an elevated taste is the power of enjoying works of impassioned terrorism, in poetry, and painting. The man who can look at impassioned subjects of terror with a feeling of exultation may be certain he has an elevated taste.
—Benjamin Haydon (1786–1846) English Painter, Writer
Good taste is the excuse I have given for leading such a bad life.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
My tastes are aristocratic, my actions democratic.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
Taste is nothing but an enlarged capacity for receiving pleasure from works of imagination.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Good taste is the worst vice ever invented.
—Edith Sitwell (1887–1964) British Poet, Literary Critic
Absolute catholicity of taste is not without its dangers. It is only an auctioneer who should admire all schools of art.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
I wish you all manner of prosperity, with a little more taste.
—Alain-Rene Lesage (1668–1747) French Novelist, Dramatist
It is for the most part in our skill in manners, and in the observances of time and place and of decency in general, that what is called taste consists; and which is in reality no other than a more refined judgment. The cause of a wrong taste is a defect of judgment.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
What is food to one man is bitter poison to others.
—Lucretius (c.99–55 BCE) Roman Epicurean Poet, Philosopher
Delicacy of taste is favorable to love and friendship, by confining our choice to few people, and making us indifferent to the company and conversation of the greater part of men.
—David Hume (1711–76) Scottish Philosopher, Historian
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