That which is not slightly distorted lacks sensible appeal; from which it follows that irregularity β that is to say, the unexpected, surprise and astonishment, are a essential part and characteristic of beauty.
Charles BaudelaireRead
Any newspaper, from the first line to the last, is nothing but a web of horrors, I cannot understand how an innocent hand can touch a newspaper without convulsing in disgust.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Baudelaire expresses the idea that newspapers are filled with disturbing news, making them repulsive to him.
In this quote, Charles Baudelaire critiques the nature of newspapers, suggesting that they are essentially a collection of negative and horrifying stories that mar the human experience. He portrays a sense of revulsion towards the very act of reading newspapers, implying that the constant exposure to such distressful news can lead to a moral and emotional disturbance in an 'innocent' person.
Themes
NewspaperHorrorDisgustNewsCritique
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the impact of media on mental health.
More from Charles Baudelaire
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Who among us has not dreamt, in moments of ambition, of the miracle of a poetic prose, musical without rhythm and rhyme, supple and staccato enough to adapt to the lyrical stirrings of the soul, the undulations of dreams, and sudden leaps of consciousness.
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I consider it useless and tedious to represent what exists, because nothing that exists satisfies me. Nature is ugly, and I prefer the monsters of my fancy to what is positively trivial.
Charles BaudelaireRead
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