The premonition of madness is complicated by the fear of lucidity in madness, the fear of the moments of return and reunion... One would welcome chaos if one were not afraid of lights in it.
Emile M. CioranRead
Try to be free: you will die of hunger.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Freedom can come at a high cost, suggesting that without some limitations, survival may be difficult.
Emile M. Cioran's quote highlights the paradox of freedom versus survival. While the desire to be free is an essential human trait, pursuing absolute freedom without regard for practical realities, such as sustenance and stability, can lead to dire consequences. Cioran suggests that the pursuit of true freedom may lead to neglecting basic needs, ultimately resulting in undesirable outcomes, such as hunger or deprivation.
Themes
FreedomHungerSurvivalPhilosophyLife
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the balance between freedom and responsibility in life choices.
More from Emile M. Cioran
All quotes →We are afraid of the enormity of the possible.
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There was a time when time did not yet exist. … The rejection of birth is nothing but the nostalgia for this time before time.
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A marvel that has nothing to offer, democracy is at once a nation's paradise and its tomb.
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Paradise was unendurable, otherwise the first man would have adapted to it; this world is no less so, since here we regret paradise or anticipate another one. What to do? Where to go? Do nothing and go nowhere, easy enough.
Emile M. CioranRead
It is not worth the bother of killing yourself, since you always kill yourself too late.
Emile M. CioranRead
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