People
Singularity is only pardonable in old age and retirement; I may now be as singular as I please, but you may not.
— Lord Chesterfield
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker allows themselves the freedom to be unusual while denying it to the listener. Age and retirement are offered as the reason for this unequal rule. The remark makes eccentricity sound like a privilege that becomes acceptable only after life's more demanding stages.
Context reviewed