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Poetry · Chapter
LVIII explained
A brief reflection on the differing perceptions of happiness between youth and age, where youth sees it as the future and age sees it as a dream.
What happens
A brief reflection on the differing perceptions of happiness between youth and age, where youth sees it as the future and age sees it as a dream.
Key passages
“Happiness has not to all the same name: to Youth she is known as the Future; Age knows her as the Dream.”
Happiness is perceived differently by different people: young people think of it as something yet to come, while older people think of it as something already past.
This aphorism contrasts the forward-looking optimism of youth with the nostalgic reflection of age.