All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning.
Interpretation
Great accomplishments often start from humble or absurd beginnings.
This quote by Albert Camus highlights the idea that all significant achievements begin in unexpected or seemingly foolish ways. It suggests that what may appear trivial or absurd at first can lead to profound outcomes and encourages us to embrace the initial stages of our endeavors, no matter how ridiculous they may seem.
In practice
A motivational speaker might use this quote to inspire entrepreneurs starting their own businesses.
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.
If you evade suffering you also evade the chance of joy. Pleasure you may get, or pleasures, but you will not be fulfilled. You will not know what it is to come home.
One can't indefinitely do for somebody what he is reluctant to do for himself.
A coward judges all he sees by what he is.
Next time you're tempted to be upset, frustrated, offended, remind yourself, it's a part of that ten percent of things in life that you can't control - but you can control how you respond.
I believe psychology has done very well in working out how to understand and treat disease. But I think that is literally half-baked. If all you do is work to fix problems, to alleviate suffering, then by definition you are working to get people to zero, to neutral.
It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.
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