"In the dying world I come from, quotation is a national vice"

This quote by Evelyn Waugh is a reflection on the state of the world he resided in. It recommends that in the world he resided in, individuals were so desperate for something to cling to that they resorted to pricing estimate others in order to understand their own lives. This could be interpreted as an indication of a society in decrease, where individuals are so desperate for responses that they turn to the words of others rather of discovering their own options. It might likewise be seen as a commentary on the power of words, and how they can be used to affect and shape the world around us. Waugh's quote is a pointer that words can be powerful, and that we must take care how we use them.