The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
Elie WieselRead
I was the accuser, God the accused. My eyes were open and I was alone - terribly alone in a world without God and without (hu)man(ity).
Interpretation
What this quote means
The speaker reflects on a profound sense of isolation and the reversal of roles in moral judgment during a crisis of faith.
In this quote, Elie Wiesel expresses the deep sense of abandonment and solitude he felt during moments of existential crisis, particularly in relation to his faith and humanity. By framing God as the accused, it highlights the devastating loss and questioning of divine justice in the face of suffering, ultimately revealing humanity's stark reality when deprived of compassion and divine presence.
Themes
IsolationFaithHumanitySufferingExistence
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about existential philosophy and the human condition.
More from Elie Wiesel
All quotes →With every cell of my being and with every fiber of my memory I oppose the death penalty in all forms. I do not believe any civilized society should be at the service of death. I don't think it's human to become an agent of the angel of death.
Elie WieselRead
Certain things, certain events, seem inexplicable only for a time: up to the moment when the veil is torn aside.
Elie WieselRead
We're alone, but we are capable of communicating to one another both our loneliness and our desire to break through it. You say, 'I'm alone.' Someone answers, 'I'm alone too.' There's a shift in the scale of power. A bridge is thrown between the two abysses.
Elie WieselRead
No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has escaped the kingdom of night.
Elie WieselRead
My loyalty to my people, to our people, and to Israel comes first and prevents me from saying anything critical of Israel outside Israel… As a Jew I see my role as a melitz yosher, a defender of Israel: I defend even her mistakes… I must identify with whatever Israel does – even with her errors.
Elie WieselRead
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Lay down true principles and adhere to them inflexibly. Do not be frightened into their surrender by the alarms of the timid, or the croakings of wealth against the ascendency of the people.
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