Everything in moderation, including moderation.

Often attributed to Oscar Wilde, this epigram is a self-cancelling twist on the classical maxim “everything in moderation.” By adding “including moderation,” it satirizes moralistic restraint and suggests that even temperance can become a rigid dogma. The line captures a paradox: rules meant to curb excess can themselves be excessive when treated as absolutes. In Wildean spirit, it also defends aesthetic or experiential intensity—implying that life’s richness sometimes requires breaking the very principle of moderation. As a modern aphorism, it functions less as practical advice than as a witty critique of puritanical certainty and a celebration of flexibility (and occasional indulgence).

“Everything in moderation, including moderation itself.”
“Everything in moderation — even moderation.”