I was born in a world of opera, theatre, films, poetry, art, and therefore, out of the wire, I made a stage. That's why they call me a high wire artist.
Life should be lived on the edge of life. You have to exercise rebellion: to refuse to tape yourself to rules, to refuse your own success, to refuse to repeat yourself, to see every day, every year, every idea as a true challenge - and then you are going to live your life on a tightrope.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Embrace life's challenges and reject conformity to truly live.
In this quote, Philippe Petit emphasizes the importance of living life boldly and without the constraints of societal norms or expectations. He advocates for a life that is unpredictable and challenging, where each moment is seen as an opportunity for growth rather than a routine to follow. The metaphor of living on a tightrope symbolizes the delicate balance between risk and reward, suggesting that true vitality comes from stepping outside one's comfort zone and embracing the unknown.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
A motivational speaker could use this quote to encourage audience members to take risks in their personal and professional lives.
More from Philippe Petit
All quotes →On a very long and very high wire, I will not hope to not be blown off by high winds. I will have the certitude that such could not happen.
Many people use the words 'death defying' or 'death wishing' when they talk about wire-walking. Many people have asked me: 'So do you have a death wish?' After doing a beautiful walk, I feel like punching them in the nose. It's indecent. I have a life wish.
It's very easy to walk on a wire if you spend a whole lifetime practicing for it.
I am not up there by chance. I am there by choice. And I know the wire. And I know my limits. And I am a madman of details.
It is treacherous on a high wire to change your focus point and suddenly look down.
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Lord, let me find my life in thee, and not in the mire of this world's favour or gain.
Every new regulation concerning commerce or revenue; or in any manner affecting the value of the different species of property, presents a new harvest to those who watch the change and can trace its consequences; a harvest reared not by themselves but by the toils and cares of the great body of their fellow citizens. This is a state of things in which it may be said with some truth that laws are made for the few not for the many.
I am a cynical optimist. Big opening weekends are like cotton candy. The films you will remember over time are the films that stick in the consciousness of the audience in a good way.
Irony ruined everything Even the best exploitation movies were never meant to be `so bad they were good`. They were not made for the intelligentsia. They were made to be violent for real, or to be sexy for real. But now everybody has irony. Even horror films now are ironic. Everybody's in on the joke now. Everybody's hip. Nobody takes anything at face value anymore.
When people gain income, they gain choice, and that is fundamental to dignity.
I was indeed a snob, if you agree with this definition: 'A person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people.' I do believe that. Not superior to all other people, but to some, most probably including those who think Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen is a great film. That is not simply ego on my part. It is a faith that after writing and teaching about films for more than 40 years, my tastes are more evolved than those of a fanboy.