Ce que je sais de la morale, c'est au football que je le dois. (I know of morality, it is football that I owe.)
Interpretation
The quote reflects how experiences in football can teach important moral lessons.
In this quote, Albert Camus emphasizes the profound life lessons and ethical principles that can be learned through the experiences gained in football. He suggests that the discipline, teamwork, and respect inherent in the sport have significantly shaped his understanding of morality. This highlights how everyday activities can serve as a powerful foundation for our moral compass.
In practice
During a speech about sportsmanship, one could use this quote to highlight the values learned through sports.
The Poor Man whom everyone speaks of, the Poor Man whom everyone pities, one of the repulsive Poor from whom charitable souls keep their distance, he has still said nothing. Or, rather, he has spoken through the voice of Victor Hugo, Zola, Richepin. At least, they said so. And these shameful impostures fed their authors. Cruel irony, the Poor Man tormented with hunger feeds those who plead his case.
The certainty of a God giving meaning to life far surpasses in attractiveness the ability to behave badly with impunity. The choice would not be hard to make. But there is no choice and that is where the bitterness comes in. The absurd does not liberate; it binds.
Between history and the eternal I have chosen history because I like certainties. Of it, at least, I am certain, and how can I deny this force crushing me.
Don't wait for the last judgment - it takes place every day.
A single sentence will suffice for modern man. He fornicated and read the papers. After that vigorous definition, the subject will be, if I may say so, exhausted.
At times I feel myself overtaken by an immense tenderness for these people around me who live in the same century.
I want nothing less than a faith founded upon a rock, faith in the constitution of things. The various man-made creeds are fictitious, like the constellations Orion, Cassiopeia’s Chair, the Big Dipper; the only thing real in them is the stars, and the only thing real in the creeds is the soul’s aspiration toward the Infinite.
Although nature commences with reason and ends in experience it is necessary for us to do the opposite, that is to commence with experience and from this to proceed to investigate the reason.
When lip service to some mysterious deity permits bestiality on Wednesday and absolution on Sunday, cash me out.
We should take care, in inculcating patriotism into our boys and girls, that is a patriotism above the narrow sentiment which usually stops at one's country, and thus inspires jealousy and enmity in dealing with others... Our patriotism should be of the wider, nobler kind which recognises justice and reasonableness in the claims of others and which lead our country into comradeship with...the other nations of the world.
Your image isn't your character. Character is what you are as a person.
Every man's path is for himself; let him accomplish his own desires that he may thus be able to rise above them to the eternal goal.
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