It is only an auctioneer who can equally and impartially admire all schools of art.

Neutrality is just indifference in disguise

There's something perfectly cutting about Wilde's observation. He's not really talking about art auctions at all—he's pointing out that the only person who can praise everything equally is someone who doesn't actually care about any of it. An auctioneer's job is to move inventory, not to have taste. Their impartiality isn't a virtue; it's a sign they're not invested in what they're selling.

This hits closer to home than it might seem. We often mistake neutrality for wisdom, especially when someone claims to appreciate "all perspectives equally." But real engagement with ideas, art, or people requires preferences, judgment, and the willingness to say "this matters more than that." The parent who loves all their children equally is wonderful; the critic who praises every book the same way has simply abdicated their role. Genuine appreciation requires discrimination—in the best sense of that word.

The uncomfortable truth Wilde hints at is that passion and partiality are features of a thoughtful life, not bugs. When you care deeply about something, you develop standards. You become harder to impress. That's not a flaw—it's evidence you're actually paying attention.