How does this Oscar Wilde quote fit into pop culture?
It’s pretty self explanatory, in fact, it’s perhaps even more true today than it was when Wilde wrote it. It’s another way of saying ‘there is no such thing as bad publicity’. Both these things mean that being ignored is worse than having no control over what is being said about you. An excellent recent example would be Britney Spears, her recent breakdown (or what ever it was) and her recovery were extensively covered on tv, in the press, internet gossip sites etc etc. Now, much of what was said about her downward spiral was really nasty, but without all of that attention, negative though it was, being paid to her during that time, her recovery and comeback would have received less attention and so she’d had sold far fewer of her recent album/song/perfume whatever. When Wilde wrote that, he was essentially saying, I know that people are saying awful things about me, but at least it means they are noticing me and what I have to say!
