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
Life is merely a fracas on an unmapped terrain, and the universe a geometry stricken with epilepsy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life is chaotic and unpredictable, much like navigating an unknown landscape.
In this quote, Cioran reflects on the nature of life as chaotic and tumultuous, likening it to a fracas—an uproar or disturbance—taking place in a terrain that is not charted or understood. The metaphor of the universe as having 'epilepsy' emphasizes the erratic and uncontrollable aspects of existence, suggesting that life is filled with uncertainty and disorder, challenging our understanding and navigation through it.
Themes
LifeChaosUncertaintyPhilosophyExistence
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about life's unpredictability, one might cite this quote to exemplify the challenges we face.
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.
Emile M. CioranRead
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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