The premonition of madness is complicated by the fear of lucidity in madness, the fear of the moments of return and reunion... One would welcome chaos if one were not afraid of lights in it.
Emile M. CioranRead
It is because we are all impostors that we endure each other. The man who does not consent to lie will see the earth shrink under his feet: we are biologically obliged to the false
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that our shared deception allows us to coexist, as the truth can be isolating.
Cioran's quote addresses the nature of human relationships and the uncomfortable truth that we often present false versions of ourselves to others. He implies that if one were to fully embrace honesty, the weight of reality would become unbearable, leading to social alienation. Our collective facade is not just a social construct, but a biological necessity that enables us to engage with one another in a functional manner, despite the inherent deception involved.
Themes
ImpostorsTruthDeceptionHumanityRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a philosophical discussion about human nature.
More from Emile M. Cioran
All quotes →We are afraid of the enormity of the possible.
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There was a time when time did not yet exist. … The rejection of birth is nothing but the nostalgia for this time before time.
Emile M. CioranRead
A marvel that has nothing to offer, democracy is at once a nation's paradise and its tomb.
Emile M. CioranRead
Paradise was unendurable, otherwise the first man would have adapted to it; this world is no less so, since here we regret paradise or anticipate another one. What to do? Where to go? Do nothing and go nowhere, easy enough.
Emile M. CioranRead
It is not worth the bother of killing yourself, since you always kill yourself too late.
Emile M. CioranRead
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