Wilde isn't simply saying that facts are complicated—he's suggesting that our *relationship* to truth is fundamentally corrupted by context, motive, and perspective. The real sting lies in "rarely pure": even when we think we've grasped something true, we've usually filtered it through desire, habit, or self-interest without realizing it. Consider how a parent might genuinely believe they're being honest with their child about why they can't afford something, when really they're also protecting themselves from shame—both things are true, yet the parent couldn't neatly separate them even if they tried. This is why Wilde matters: he's warning us against the comfort of thinking truth-telling is a simple matter of good intentions.