#truly devious aesthetic

[steviebellgirl]

there is nothing so serious as a game ₊˚.⋆📜

[celestial-academia]

I’m doing my yearly reread of Truly Devious and came to this part. It makes me laugh a little, but also is this quirk of Nate’s ever fully explain?

He just has a box of parts and junk and is like “I collect things” without any further explanation?

[justablujay]

The way that i would sell my soul to be able to go to a boarding school for free and study what i’m interested in. My dream life

[gedwimora]

seeing ppl reblog em's promo like

[aroaceoutinspace]

Truly Devious Aesthetic

Like this? Find more on book aesthetics pinterest board 🤎 https://pin.it/H2yodwW

[evanpetersgfhihi]

୨⎯ 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓰 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓭𝓾𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷⎯୧

♡ about me ♡

౨ৎ you can call me elodie (she/her) ^^

౨ৎ 15 yrs old

౨ৎ deer disguised as an insane teenage girl

౨ৎ infp and aquarius

౨ৎ german (whatever stereotype youre thinking of rn im not like it)

౨ৎ hopeless romantic

౨ৎ married to evan peters, cillian murphy, kurt cobain, tim burton, emma watson, taissa farmiga, mia goth, winona ryder, helena bonham carter, elizabeth grant and brittany murphy

౨ৎ hobbies: reading, writing, girlblogging, listening to music and true crime pods, watching movies and shows, baking and yapping with my very few but lovely friends

౨ৎ books: the bell jar, the virgin suicides, my year of rest and relaxation, christiane f, the seven husbands of evelyn hugo, the picture of dorian gray, the silent patient, the secret history, tributes of panem, harry potter, enola holmes, truly devious, the little prince and literally anything by kafka, rick riordan and holly jackson

౨ৎ movies: girl interrupted, black swan, thirteen, american psycho, perks of being a wallflower, jennifers body, pearl, buffalo 66, coraline, dead poets society, léon: the professional, the menu, the craft, my girl, i believe in unicorns, ten things i hate about you and literally anything by sofia coppola, tim burton, david fincher, greta gerwig, wes anderson and studio ghibli

౨ৎ shows: ahs (favs are murder house, coven and asylum), skins, gilmore girls, bojack horseman, stranger things, spn, asoue, obx, heartstopper and ianowt

౨ৎ music: lana, mitski, nirvana, hole, mazzy star, fiona apple, ethel cain, deftones, radiohead, the smiths, fleetwood mac, tv girl, marina, tyler the creator, queen, david bowie, arctic monkeys, the nbhd, ayesha erotica, solya, bambi baker and a lot more

౨ৎ other things i love: art, poetry, cats, deers, swans, iced coffee, dr pepper, trees, old parks, cemeteries, coquette, grunge, y2k, lego flowers, spotify, tumblr and pinterest

♡ about my blog ♡

i'll post relatable girl stuff, my interests, fashion inspo, moodboards, random thoughts and whatever i feel like ^^ everythings mine unless i say otherwise

dms are always open if you wanna talk or be friends <3 i love meeting new people ^^ if you wanna be moots just tell me in my question box! you can also ask anything there, i love answering to these ^^

dni: racists, homophobes, transphobes, fascists, pedos, nsfw blogs, probably forgot some but yeah im a minor and liberal so i think you get the idea of what i don't tolerate

healthy and pro recovery ed and sh blogs without triggering imagery and stuff are totally ok but if you romanticise this shit, (re)post thin$po or scars and dont want to get better pls pls dni or i will report you bc im trying to improve my mental health and that stuff is not helping at all

♡ other socials ♡

other blog (dark coquette aesthetic)

other blog (dark green and gloomy aesthetic)

other blog (moodboards of my interests)

yap blog (for yapping, reblogging and answering questions)

oh god i really do have a lot of side blogs

spotify (it's kinda messy im sorry)

pinterest (i post more whispers there)

⁠♡ ok i hope i did this right byeee angelss ⁠♡

[graysonhawthorneswife]

Get to know me <33

My name is Mel: She/Her: Virgo: ENFP: HUGE swiftie: Silena Beauregard apologist: minor: Arab<3

My music taste: Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Conan Gray, Melanie Martinez, Måneskin, ABBA, Mitski, Laufey, Renee Rapp, Chappell Roan, Phoebe Bridgers, Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams and Lana Del Rey

Fandoms I’m in: The Inheritance Games, A good girl’s guide to murder, Truly Devious, The perks of being a wallflower, Scott Pilgrim vs The world, Hamilton, Heathers, Mean girls, Percy Jackson, School bus graveyard, The Folk of the Air, The Umbrella Academy

My aesthetic:

My asks are always open<33

FREE PALESTINE🇵🇸‼️

[mysterymastere]

There's a certain sort of soft big tit girl that I just love. Alt aesthetic, bit of an exhibitionist, happy to just lay in a sunbeam. She's got a natural eroticism to her and there's something devious in her smiles.

When she makes out, which she does often and eagerly, she tangles her fingers through your hair. Just being with her makes you feel sexier.

She's kinky and submissive, but has learned to be confident in expressing her desires. If you can give her what she needs, she's the best little slut you could ever ask for.

You'd think I'm setting some impossible standard, but I've met many women who fit this description, and I've even been fortunate enough to date a few. The have the potential to be some truly impressive bimbos if they set their mind to it.

[the-banana-0verlord]

"Do you hear the rain fall down?..."

Intro

Hello, my name is Lilian and you've tumbled across my blog! I am a writer and a digital artist in my free time. I write and draw mainly mainly for the game Twisted Wonderland, but I also engage in a few other fandoms. I make moodboards, request rules below.

!! 🍉This blogs stands with Palestine🍉!!

What I write about:

🌊My OCs (most of the time)

🌊X readers (this used to be what i did primarily, but it's rare to see me do it these days. I have a lot in my masterlist though)

List of links

Masterlist

OC masterlist

Dracula X F!Reader(on quotev)

moots list (not up to date)

Lilian/Mallilian AUs masterlist

Where to find me on various platforms

Tumblr moots discord

Twst OC discord

My sideblogs

@bananareblogsthings -- reblogs

@the-lord-of-malevolence -- Malleus RP blog (inactive)

@the-king-of-thorns -- Overblot Malleus RP blog (soon to be inactive)

@bestutenacharactertournament -- tournament for the best Revolutionary Girl Utena character

@thoughts-of-an-nrc-student -- RP blog pretending Twisted Wonderland is real

@the-sunflower-prefect -- RP blog for my yuusona, Lilian

@bananas-lil-guy -- oc blog (check it out if you want to know about my ocs cause everything is going to be on there!)

Tags

#bananawrites -- for writing

#bananadoodles -- for art

#theoverlordmonologues -- for anything random

#mallilian -- self-ship tag with Malleus

#bananareblogs -- reblogs

#banana's moots -- my mutuals <3

#bananaanswersasks -- for asks

Fandoms

I engage in currently:

🌊Twisted Wonderland

🌊Revolutionary Girl Utena

🌊Nevermore(webtoon)

🌊Obey Me! Shall we date(though I have not played much)

🌊Genshin impact

🌊Multiple reincarnation webtoons on both tapas and webtoon

🌊Minecraft

🌊Link Click

🌊The Truly Devious Series

I know of but no longer engage in:

🌊Demon slayer

🌊My Hero Academia

🌊Miraculous Ladybug

🌊Percy Jackson

🌊Keepers of the lost cities

🌊How to train your dragon and the big four

🌊The Owl house

🌊Marvel

🌊My little pony

🌊Fnaf

🌊Hamilton

🌊Warrior cats

🌊Wings of Fire

🌊Avatar: the last airbender

🌊Heathers

🌊Six: the musical

Moodboards

You can request moodboards! I make them in a format of 3 x 3 pics. I can make moodboards based on an OC, a character, a vibe, a ship, a self-ship, etc. If the character is unknown to me(like not from a fandom listed above or an oc), please provide me a picture of the character.

About me

🌊I'm 15 (so a minor! No NSFW on this blog!!!)

🌊My pronouns are She/Her but I'm fine with They/Them. I'm asexual and it's blurry if I'm aromantic or biromantic.

🌊My first language is french and I am from Quebec, in Canada.

🌊My hobby other than those mentionned above is making puzzles.

🌊I like crime series and books

🌊My favorite aesthetics are Dark Academia and Cottagecore

🌊I like Mitski, Mother Mother and Marina

Feel free to send me asks if you want to get to know me! You can ask to be my mutual if you want, but please don't be overbearing.

[steviebellgirl]

the fact is,” he said, “i liked you from the first moment I saw you, when you looked like you wanted to punch me in the face for just being alive. that probably says something dark about me. 

[celestial-academia]

I will never forgive Maureen Johnson for calling David Stevie’s Watson. The same David who is missing for half of the Hand of the Wall and half of the Box in the Woods.

Nathaniel Fisher was not Stevie’s secret keeper, lookout, closest confidant, and did not get SHOT AT for David “Barely Present” Eastman to be Stephanie Bell’s Watson.

[teafiend]

Reviews (summaries) of a few of the drama adaptations for [Legend of the Condor Heroes]/ 「射鵰英雄傳」 from the last three decades:

*Drama posters are from oldest to latest (from left to right, top to bottom)

1983 version (starring Barbara Yung and Felix Wong):

Too young to remember and never rewatched. A feted classic from Hong Kong TVB’s heyday. The only thing I will unequivocally say I love about this version is the iconic theme songs, which are the only musical tracks I can easily recall and identify when it comes to the numerous adaptations.

1994 version (starring Athena Chu and Julian Cheung):

First love. Good performances. Beautiful and ultra-cute JingRong. Favourite balance of visuals for JingRong. Solid production (HK TVB). Newish classic. Faithful to the main storylines. The version which made me fall for Guo Jing and the saga. Sometimes, however, first love only goes so far.

2003 version (starring Zhou Xun and Li Ya Peng):

Gritty. Jiang Hu. Sweeping epic. Mature vibes. Tragic and heartbreak-tinged. Faithful to the main storylines. Brilliant JingRong. Elegantly cultured Huang Rong. Earnestly chivalrous Guo Jing. Love both the portrayals of Guo Jing and Huang Rong (despite the many criticisms received). Loved the veteran gravitas of many of the supporting casts. Performances were fabulous. My only gripe is with Yang Kang (and his actor, Zhou Jie, whose performance I was not especially partial to, but he did okay though). The best Mongolian segment(s) out of all adaptations. Favourite drama adaptation (to date). The main and ending theme songs are fantastic, and the opening track has quite an epic saga feel.

(Some audience disliked ZX’s portrayal, and criticisms abound about her using her own voice during the show - which is a bit husky - but I had absolutely no issues with it. I thought the criticisms weirdly petty, actually. As someone who does not find dubs at all nice, I appreciated her using her own voice/dub for the series. LYP also received his fair share of criticisms for his portrayal. Personally, I enjoyed both tremendously).

2008 version (starring Ariel Lin and Hu Ge):

An adaptation I skipped as neither mains appealed to me, and Liu Shi Shi as Mu Nian Ci was not enough of a draw to make me trudge through an adaption I read was not particularly faithful to the novels. Visuals and vibes wise, I just could not see Hu Ge as Guo Jing - which is simply a personal preference - but I do not doubt that his performance/portrayal would have been fine. That goes for the rest of the cast and their performances.

2017 version (starring Li Yi Tong and Yang Xu Wen):

Pretty. Vibrant aesthetics. Wuxia vibes. Relatively youthful. Commendable production. Sweet, lovey-dovey and affectionate JingRong. Cutie - and handsome - Guo Jing. Excellent Huang Rong. Faithful to the main storylines. Highly enjoyable. Main instrumental track a clever nolstagic callback to the classic Hong Kong songs/themes. Good production. Superb performances overall.

(I found this version’s GJ a bit too prettily handsome, which is lovely but also felt a bit not-GJ. Still enjoyed his portrayal a lot though).

2024 version (starring Bao Shang En and Ci Sha):

Strong Wuxia vibes. Solid aesthetics and production. Youthful. Squee-worthy JingRong. Adorably devious Huang Rong. Favourite Guo Jing and JingRong (to date). Wonderful performances all around. Faithful to the main storylines. Some distinct emotional beats.

Especially noteworthy was the beautifully shot and conveyed scenes from near the end during GJ’s mental and spiritual struggles with his grief and martial abilities. Superbly done and went to the heart of the novel’s themes.

Flaws included pacing and issues with storylines length. Uneven focus. Lack of epic-ness.

(Ci Sha is not really my cup-of-tea visuals wise but he looked and felt like what Guo Jing *should* be and his performance was compelling and layered. His portrayal embodied the 靖 of 郭靖, and I think that meant something significant. He truly came into his own by the last third when the confidence and composure GJ cultivated throughout the series made his nuanced portrayal fangirl-scream worthy. *fainting away* Love his steady, gentle and devoted GJ to bits. The focus and complexity they afforded Yang Kang in this version made him a much more complex and conflicted antagonist, which was fascinating. This Wanyan Hong Lie inspired major feelings for a character I already found especially interesting and tragi-complex since the 2003 adaptation. The soft-spot I have for him is too real).

[azaleayoung-blog]

What is dark academia and what does it have to do with social media?

A deep dive into the genre and why it has become so popular.

Dark academia has recently been seeing a growth in popularity across social media, with its aesthetic being displayed in movies, television shows, and primarily novels. 

The year 2020 marked some significant changes in our media landscape. That may seem like a bit of a nonpoint, but the rise of TikTok coupled with the number of people inside due to pandemic restrictions saw an irreversible change within popular trends and aesthetics.

In the literature community, one such trend was the rise of dark academia. Though the subculture primarily exists online, the term is slowly creeping into the mainstream.  In 2022, it was defined by Collins Dictionary as “a social media aesthetic and subculture concerned with higher education, writing and poetry, the arts, and classic Greek and Gothic architecture,” which is somewhat of a broad interpretation. To uncover what makes dark academia such an appealing genre today, one needs to trace back its history; starting with, perhaps most famously, The Secret History by Donna Tartt. 

Published in 1992, the novel is what some point to as the first dark academic novel. A pioneer of its time, it is still quite relevant today — it can almost always be counted on to be present on #BookTok recommends tables at bookstores. Set at a fictional college in New England, the novel follows a group of students studying ancient Greek. The narrator, a student who joined the group after its initial formation, unveils how one of them was murdered by the group’s original members. As far as dark academia goes, it’s got it all — murder, Greek aesthetics, a fancy, secluded college. Unsurprisingly, many elements of Tartt’s magnum opus can be found in other books within the genre.

One of the first notable pillars of the genre is right in the name — academia. These novels typically take place in an academic setting; whether this is at a private boarding school or around a college campus. Still, dark academia wouldn’t exactly be academia without some form of academics. Typically, these characters are often studying Ancient Greek, Shakespearean theatre, or English literature — fields that are, for lack of a better word, pretentious. These topics are absolutely for everyone but are not necessarily accessible things to learn about and interact with, or make a living out of. This does not necessarily mean that if a character is studying one of these topics the novel they are in is a dark academic novel, but a character’s field of study, such as these examples, will often add to the atmosphere of dark academia. 

A significant number of these stories see characters marked by tragedy, mystery, or both at the same time. Whether that involves crime (see If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio) or a mystery to solve (see Truly, Devious by Maureen Johnson), the characters are typically caught up in a problem larger than themselves, like solving a murder (or, in the case of The Secret History, getting away with one). 

Some authors have utilized the genre and its traits to call out and criticize these academic settings which have been historically open only to white and rich individuals, see Babel by R.F. Kuang. 

The novel is set in 1828 in Britain and follows Chinese-born Robin who is forced to give his help to an institution that will only use his work to further their goals of colonization. At school, he and members of his friend group continuously face racism as students of colour. Although Robin is a member of this school community, it is clear that many do not want him there, and he, like many of the other students of colour, are viewed as disposable.

As Lenore Sell puts it in her article Beyond the Aesthetics: An Introduction to Dark Academia, “Some of the novels blame elitist structures at educational institutions for the ensuing destruction, or even a dysfunctional academic landscape as a whole, although this connection is not always the object of overt criticism or satire.” 

For example, in The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the characters are not directly opposed to their wealth, but Wilde uses them and their lifestyles to highlight the inherent lack of morality present in these structures. This novel is an interesting case as it holds elements of magical realism and gothic literature as well as dark academia, but its traits allow it to somewhat fit into both genres.

As more dark academic books continue to be published, their popularity seems to grow. However, sometimes what its readers are chasing is more of a feeling or an aesthetic than quality literature. 

Dark academia is directly linked to an old-fashioned kind of style, with modern technology rarely, if ever, appearing in many of its most famous works. The fashion choices of the characters—such as blazers, woolen sweaters, tweed patterns, and just generally darker colour palettes—all contribute to the finely curated aesthetic of dark rooms, classic novels, candles, and typewriters. Sure, these things are all technically dark academia-inspired, but they do nothing more than just scratch the surface of what the genre purports to actually be about: learning, higher education, and literature. 

A genre based purely on its aesthetics and vibes might at first seem to be only superficial and provide no substance. It can, however, encompass an idea or way of life that some crave. Sell writes in her article, “The rise of dark academia can be an expression of the longing of younger generations for a lifestyle temporarily or permanently inaccessible to them.”

This longing could especially be felt by those who are unable to afford post-secondary education, or those typically excluded from higher academic circles. Attending a post-secondary institution comes with a sense of community, particularly for those who live on campus and broaden their experiences by participating in new activities and meeting new friends. These institutions, while being flawed, are incredibly important because of this, as they provide something that many of us want. Following this logic, it’s possible then, that the boom in dark academia’s popularity was a result of people longing for these institutions that were closed during the pandemic or are unavailable to so many people. 

Racism and class inequality contribute to the lack of diversity seen in higher academic settings, particularly because of how expensive post-secondary education can be. It’s why turning to social media to fulfill these dreams is easier for many.

Katie Xu (@katiexsocials), a TikToker who posts about building your personal brand and learning how to market yourself, posted a video on TikTok’s ability to foster human connections, stating, “People on TikTok are connecting to people. When I see someone on my For You page, I listen to what they have to say … I’m listening to them as a person, and I’m trying to understand them as a person.”

While she does not make any reference to dark academia, her idea has merit because of the way platforms like TikTok are designed to make sure you interact with people who share the same interests as you. Social media itself is perhaps the largest and most influential community there is, so for individuals to turn to that at times of uncertainty and find solace in a niche like dark academia is reflective of the weight the genre held then and still holds today.  

Currently, TikTok has over four hundred thousand posts under its dark academia tag, based on videos about the aesthetic and the books that fall into its category. While the majority of the hype (at least in my opinion) has died down a bit, it is still a genre that is very much relevant outside of social media. For example, outside of the literature community, other mediums have used the dark academic aesthetic to tell stories, such as podcasts like The Alexandria Archives or The Magnus Archives. The aesthetic is also present in TV shows like Wednesday or A Series of Unfortunate Events. It can even branch out into music with a more recent example being Taylor Swift’s THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT. 

But to bring it back to literature, one of the most recent books on the scene is Curious Tides, by French-Canadian author Pascale Lacelle. 

The novel has all the most familiar trappings of a dark academic book, but with a magical twist in line with stories in the fantasy genre. Set at a fictional college, the protagonist has to investigate the secret society that seems to be connected to her classmates’ mysterious deaths. Only, these deaths of which she is the only survivor have left her with heightened powers. Similar to Babel, this blend of a different genre with dark academia prolongs the genre’s lifespan and takes it to places it has not traditionally been. 

Like all other trends, the dark academia one will most likely not have wide-ranging impacts outside of its small niches, but I’m talking purely about its aesthetic sense. In the literary market, it looks like there are still plenty more stories to tell that can deviate from the traditional dark academia novel while still using its most popular elements.

[novel-nook-blog]

Autumn ✨🍂🧸

One thing about me: I love autumn 🤎

I know it's not autumn yet (calendar vise nor weather vise) BUT it's September and that's good enough for me!

I love wearing sweaters and hot tea and candles and blankets. Just everything warm and cosy.

So this is going to be a post about books and tv shows that make my autumn more autumny🧸

TV shows/films:

Gilmore girls🍂☕️: this is a MUST HAVE! I just love how aesthetic this series is! I always am very motivated to study after summer break (even tho my school year/semester starts almost in October) the way Rory studies and reads keeps me motivated for a longer time✨.

Supernatural🤎🧸: having Dean and Sammy hunt monsters and ghosts is more of a Halloween vibe but the spookyness is just perfect for those cosy evenings! (But a slightly warning: If you love Gilmore girls as much as myself, well... you may not be content about their names, I'm two seasons in and tbh I still call Sam Dean – when I talk about the series, haha)

Harry Potter⚡️🍁: I'm a potter girly so this is another MUST HAVE. I usually read one book from the series and than watch those films, I also start this rewatch/reread almost at the end of November, because it just has a certain magic spell of christmas in it.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina🎃🐈‍⬛: It's been a few years since I've seen this show but I still liked it very much (however I think I didn't like the ending... but I'm not so sure anymore 😄)

Charmed🍂🤎: This is also a very good show! I'm a sucker for every show or film from around the 2000s!

Books:

Any thriller (horror): On my TBR are those books for example: Truly Devious (all series), One of Us Is Next

High fantasy: Foruth Wing, The Cruel Prince, Six of Crows (anything from grisha verse), The Raven Boys, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Atlas Six, Harry Potter, ...

[disneydarlin]

Zootopia: Nick Wilde —Aesthetic

Nicholas Piberius "Nick" Wilde's Character & Personality

Nick is a male red fox who's a con artist in Zootopia. He's generally friendly, charismatic and sociable. Unfortunately, Nick is also street-smart. A shifty and mischievous fox, traits supposedly common to all foxes, who's slick. Nick nearly always has a sly smile on his face and seems unfazed throughout most events. Due to his troubled history, he grew to be cynical, devious and prejudice. Nick developed a fear of muzzles and a dislike towards the prey species. He views Zootopia as an abysmal place, where dreams are nothing but far-off fantasies. Those who strive to become something more than they're stereotyped to be are simply wasting their time and energy. Nevertheless, Nick embraced and explored his strong points: his wits, intelligence and ability to con practically everyone he comes across. He also has a strong sense of humor, as he often uses wisecracks as a coping mechanism when in a troublesome situation. Additionally, Nick is uncaring towards others' opinions, no matter how cruel, giving him strength and independence. Despite how collected he seems, he doesn't handle intense situations well. Nick often goes into an immediate panic when in danger, becoming anxious, cowering and jumping to the conclusion he'll soon meet his demise. Nevertheless, he's unwilling to abandon anyone in these situations, even against their wishes. Thus, hinting at his selflessness. Although Nick appears to be uncaring to those around him, he's sympathetic towards those who experience prejudice. He proves to be quite fearless and protective when it comes to those he cared about. However, Nick's affection for someone else make him vulnerable and render him capable of becoming strongly affected by their viewpoints. He's quite resentful towards those he had personal trust towards, particularly the ones he personally believed had accepted him. Regardless, Nick's laid-back nature makes him quick to forgive, as his care for others overrides his occasional bitterness. Overtime, he becomes optimistic and no longer sees Zootopia in an unambiguously negative light. Nick now knows it's possible to be more than what prejudice individuals think he's capable of being rather than a stereotype. Additionally, he can find those who see and appreciate him for who he truly is. Even though Nick's attitude softened considerably and he's more openly nice to others, he still maintained his sharp wit. He's prone to making sarcastic remarks and engaging in banter. But this is done as playful teasing towards those he respects.

[mightyflamethrower]

“Civilized people must, I believe, satisfy the following criteria:

1) They respect human beings as individuals and are therefore always tolerant, gentle, courteous and amenable ... They do not create scenes over a hammer or a mislaid eraser; they do not make you feel they are conferring a great benefit on you when they live with you, and they don't make a scandal when they leave. (...)

2) They have compassion for other people besides beggars and cats. Their hearts suffer the pain of what is hidden to the naked eye. (...)

3) They respect other people's property, and therefore pay their debts.

4) They are not devious, and they fear lies as they fear fire. They don't tell lies even in the most trivial matters. To lie to someone is to insult them, and the liar is diminished in the eyes of the person he lies to. Civilized people don't put on airs; they behave in the street as they would at home, they don't show off to impress their juniors. (...)

5) They don't run themselves down in order to provoke the sympathy of others. They don't play on other people's heartstrings to be sighed over and cosseted ... that sort of thing is just cheap striving for effects, it's vulgar, old hat and false. (...)

6) They are not vain. They don't waste time with the fake jewellery of hobnobbing with celebrities, being permitted to shake the hand of a drunken [judicial orator], the exaggerated bonhomie of the first person they meet at the Salon, being the life and soul of the bar ... They regard prases like 'I am a representative of the Press!!' -- the sort of thing one only hears from [very minor journalists] -- as absurd. If they have done a brass farthing's work they don't pass it off as if it were 100 roubles' by swanking about with their portfolios, and they don't boast of being able to gain admission to places other people aren't allowed in (...) True talent always sits in the shade, mingles with the crowd, avoids the limelight ... As Krylov said, the empty barrel makes more noise than the full one. (...)

7) If they do possess talent, they value it ... They take pride in it ... they know they have a responsibility to exert a civilizing influence on [others] rather than aimlessly hanging out with them. And they are fastidious in their habits. (...)

8) They work at developing their aesthetic sensibility ... Civilized people don't simply obey their baser instincts ... they require mens sana in corpore sano.

And so on. That's what civilized people are like ... Reading Pickwick and learning a speech from Faust by heart is not enough if your aim is to become a truly civilized person and not to sink below the level of your surroundings.

[From a letter to Nikolay Chekhov, March 1886]” ― Anton Chekhov, A Life in Letters