Quote: "A saving grace of the adult condition is the capacity..."

[Tom]

Hi

Could you please explain the following quote to me? Does the writer mean to say that a graceful adult (person) is the one who would also enjoy (accept) his follies (defeat etc) as easily as if they were some one else's?


"A saving grace of the adult condition is the capacity to be as amused by one's own follies as by those of others."

Tom

[Conchita]

A graceful adult is one that moves easily. Now, "grace" in your sentence, means 'forgiveness' or 'mercy' and "a saving grace" is "a redeeming quality". What the author meant is that if we are able to laugh at our own silly behaviour as we are able to laugh at that of others, our faults might be redeemed.

Although Tom can be bad-tempered, he has the saving grace of a sense of humour.

[Jamie (K)]

You also need to use the word follies. You made the typo "followies", which doesn't exist as a word, as far as I know.

[prezbucky]

...it will exist in my Trek Wars parody of Star Trek and Star Wars.

Captain Kirk Skywalker: What are those things, Chewspocka?

Chewspocka: Rrrroooooaaaarrrrrr. I believe the correct term for them is Followies, Captain. They are not logical. Rrrrroooooaaaaarrrrr.

Darth Klingon (appearing on the deck's screen): Captain Kirk Skywalker, my bird of prey is cloaked. Soon you will feel the fiery hate of the Klingon Empire.

Captain Kirk Skywalker: Scottie, where... did...he...go?

Scottie Wan Kenobi: I cahn't see 'im, Cahptain! Yull hahv tuh use the farce!

Captain Kirk Skywalker: Prepare...... the rockets.

Han McCoy: Damn it, Kirk, don't do it! I didn't join this bucket of bolts to die! Show me the money, Kirk, show me the money!

Darth Klingon: Captain Skywalker, before you try to shoot at something you cannot see, I thought I should inform you of this: I... am... your... father.

Captain Kirk Skywalker: Noooooooooooooooooo!!!

Chewspocka: Rrrrroooaaaarrrrrr. You are being highly illogical, Captain. I'll use the Vulwookan mind meld. Roooooaaaaarrrrr.

Han McCoy: Damn it, Furbrains, you knocked him out!
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[Tom]

Thanks, Jamie (K)

I have corrected the spelling!

Tom