"We have long passed the Victorian Era when asterisks were followed after a certain interval by a baby"
- W. Somerset Maugham
About this Quote
This quote by W. Somerset Maugham is referring to the Victorian Era, which was a time period in the 19th century in England. During this era, it was common for asterisks to be followed by an infant after a certain period. This was a method of signifying the concept of fertility and the significance of having children. It was likewise a method of revealing the idea that having kids signified success and prosperity. This quote is a pointer of how much society has actually altered considering that the Victorian Era and how various our values and beliefs are today. We no longer see having kids as an indication of success and prosperity, but rather as a personal option. This quote is a pointer of how far we have come in terms of our values and beliefs.
"All the evidence that we have indicates that it is reasonable to assume in practically every human being, and certainly in almost every newborn baby, that there is an active will toward health, an impulse towards growth, or towards the actualization"
"I'm saddened to see that everyone's pitched out the baby with the bath, in that we say that it can't be one or the other, it could be both. I mean, just because we listen to classical music doesn't mean that we can't listen to jazz"
"How come life is so important in the nine months before birth, but then we sort of forget about the importance, we're not worried about whether that baby lives in poverty once he or she is born"
"In fact I have nightmares about having children. I want to carry a baby and feel the life within me and in my dream, I do. But every time after it's born, there's this incredible fear, this pounding pulse of fear. It's a real bad nightmare"
"There are some great questions to ask your doctor. If he says 'no,' then you find yourself a different doctor. There really has to be a change in how we medically look at women at this time. I mean, this is not just baby gloom"