This very heart which is mine will forever remain indefinable to me. Between the certainty I have of my existence and the content I try to give to that assurance, the gap will never be filled. Forever I shall be a stranger to myself.
Interpretation
The quote reflects the existential struggle of understanding oneself, highlighting the gap between existence and self-awareness.
In this quote, Albert Camus expresses a profound introspection about the nature of his identity and existence. He acknowledges the certainty of being alive but recognizes the inherent difficulty in truly understanding oneself, portraying a sense of existential alienation. The gap between his existence and the understanding of that existence suggests that self-awareness can be elusive and that one may never fully grasp the essence of their own being.
In practice
In a speech about self-discovery during a personal development seminar.
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.
That a person cannot and consequently will not defend himself, does not yet cast disgrace upon him in our eyes ; but we despise the person who has neither the ability nor the good will for revenge whether it be a man or a woman.
Our actions are like ships which we may watch set out to sea, and not know when or with what cargo they will return to port.
There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says 'Morning, boys. How's the water?' And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes 'What the hell is water?'
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
Where's evil? It's that large part of every man that wants to hate without limit, that wants to hate with God on its side.
The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness.
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