The Horrible Truth

Lexi Santos

“Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril.” – Oscar Wilde

The first thing that caught my eye in this aphorism was the repetition of  “at their peril”. Reading the words twice, made it much more memorable. I also noticed that both sentences make the same statement but in different words. Going beneath the surface and reading into symbols are almost the same thing, which made me wonder if there is a difference and what I could be missing. The repetition also made me think of obsession and if Oscar Wilde could be referring to how seeking for meaning leads to obsession and destruction of the mind. What also caught my eye was the aphorism’s thought provoking idea that knowledge is dangerous. I somewhat agree that knowledge can reveal truths that can cause harm, obsession, or psychological distress. But I can’t completely agree with this aphorism since I believe that not looking for deeper meaning causes ignorance in people, and instead those who do not go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Though I still believe this statement, the song “Zero” by The Smashing Pumpkins made me change my perspective. 

This aphorism made me think of the song “Zero” by The Smashing Pumpkins because I noticed the song has a very similar hidden meaning to the aphorism, about the truth beneath the surface. The song is about Billy Corgan’s realization that fame destroyed him and left him feeling empty. Most see fame as something that shows success and happiness, but Corgan finds that becoming famous has destroyed him. Exactly as Oscar Wilde said, that “those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril”, Corgan finds that what he once thought of fame was a lie, and after “going beneath the surface” he discovered the truth that this life is empty and self-destructive. I also thought of the character Dorian Grey and how the aphorism and song relate to his story. In the song Billy Corgan says he is “intoxicated with the madness” and “I never let on that I was down”. Corgan hides his feelings of emptiness and intoxication by putting on a front to the world. The same as the cruelty and madness underneath Dorian Grey hides beneath his youthful and handsome appearance. They are both known for something sought after, Corgan’s fame and Dorian’s looks, but if people look deeper they would see that these things are not as amazing as they seem. This helped me see Oscar Wilde’s point, and that the glamor on the surface of desires hides a horrible truth.