"We are nauseated by the sight of trivial personalities decomposing in the eternity of print"

This quote by Virginia Woolf is a commentary on the power of the composed word and its capability to immortalize even the most insignificant of people. Woolf is expressing her disdain for the idea that people who are not particularly notable or crucial can still have their words and thoughts preserved in print for eternity. She is suggesting that the idea of these unimportant personalities being remembered forever is a nauseating one, as it indicates that their words and concepts are of equal importance to those of more substantial figures. Woolf is also likely making a statement about the power of the composed word and its ability to outlive its author, no matter their value or lack thereof.