I lost my sleep, and this is the greatest tragedy that can befall someone. It is much worse than sitting in prison.
Emil CioranRead
However much I have frequented the mystics, deep down I have always sided with the Devil; unable to equal him in power, I have tried to be worthy of him, at least, in insolence, acrimony, arbitrariness and caprice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a struggle between the pursuit of higher understanding and the attraction to darker, chaotic impulses.
Emil Cioran's quote encapsulates the tension between the pursuit of mysticism and the seductive allure of the chaotic, often negative aspects of human nature, represented by the Devil. Cioran suggests that while he has engaged with spiritual and mystical thought, he ultimately identifies with the more rebellious and turbulent side of existence, indicating a fascination with the complexities of power, insolence, and unpredictability in life.
Themes
MysticismDevilPowerInsolenceChaos
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a philosophical discussion about the duality of human nature at a seminar.
More from Emil Cioran
All quotes →Isn't history ultimately the result of our fear of boredom?
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I saw that philosophy had no power to make my life more bearable. Thus I lost my belief in philosophy.
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If, at the limit, you can rule without crime, you cannot do so without injustices.
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The capital phenomenon, the most catastrophic disaster, is uninterrupted sleeplessness, that nothingness without release.
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