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
Nostalgia, more than anything, gives us the shudder of our own imperfection. This is why with Chopin we feel so little like gods.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Nostalgia highlights our flaws by reminding us of what we've lost, making us feel less than perfect.
In this quote, Cioran reflects on the nature of nostalgia and its impact on our self-perception. He suggests that reminiscing about the past, especially through art such as Chopin's music, underscores our human imperfections and limitations, causing us to feel humbled rather than exalted. This feeling of imperfection serves as a reminder that we are not as powerful or transcendent as we might wish to be.
Themes
NostalgiaImperfectionChopinArtReflection
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of art in understanding our own flaws, one might quote Cioran to illustrate how music can evoke deep personal reflections.
More from Emile M. Cioran
All quotes βWe are afraid of the enormity of the possible.
Emile M. CioranRead
There was a time when time did not yet exist. β¦ The rejection of birth is nothing but the nostalgia for this time before time.
Emile M. CioranRead
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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