"Society exists only as a mental concept; in the real world there are only individuals"

Oscar Wilde’s assertion draws attention to the distinction between abstract constructs and tangible reality. Society, as referred to by Wilde, is not a physical entity one can touch or perceive in isolation; rather, it is an abstraction synthesized from the behaviors, beliefs, and interactions of individuals. The notion of society serves as a mental framework that allows humans to collectively organize, assign meaning, and create shared understandings about how people coexist. Yet, in daily life, what one actually encounters are only individual persons, each with distinct experiences, desires, and agency.

When people speak of society, its rules, traditions, or expectations, they are referencing a product of countless individual actions and shared perceptions. The customs and moral codes attributed to society do not arise from a singular, autonomous being but emerge from the collective input of individuals. These constructs can exert considerable influence, shaping decisions, norms, and both private and public conduct, but at their core, they remain constructs, a result of the human mind seeking order in complexity.

The practical consequence is profound: attempts to blame or credit "society" for actions, injustices, or achievements often obscure the responsibility and autonomy of persons. Assigning agency to society can serve to diffuse individual accountability or pressure; however, Wilde's insight invites a reconsideration of who, in fact, creates and maintains the systems within which everyone lives. Every act of kindness or cruelty, acceptance or prejudice, innovation or conformity ultimately originates from individual choice.

Recognizing the mental nature of "society" can also foster empathy and agency. Understanding that change arises not from altering an abstract society, but through the transformations and awakenings of individuals, empowers people to act, challenge, and reshape the abstract frameworks to which they often feel subservient. Wilde’s insight calls attention to the essential powers and responsibilities of the individual as the only true actor in the so-called society.