Humanity takes itself too seriously. It is the world’s original sin… Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes.
Henry turns cynicism into charm at a dinner table. The joke on “original sin” swaps theology for tone—being earnest is the real vice. Calling regret-immune “mistakes” the only worthy memories flatters recklessness. It’s witty, but the irony is acid: he endlessly recommends experiences he won’t pay for himself. Wilde uses this brilliance to show how a culture can applaud danger from a safe seat. The line pushes Dorian toward a curated daring. It’s the kind of advice that sounds brave and ages badly.