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
If just once you were depressed for no reason, you have been so all your life without knowing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that unexplained feelings of depression may indicate a deeper, lifelong struggle with sadness that goes unnoticed.
Emile M. Cioran's quote reflects on the nature of depression, emphasizing that even brief instances of feeling depressed without any clear cause can reveal a chronic state of unhappiness. It implies that many people may live their lives unaware of a pervasive sense of despair that influences their thoughts and actions, suggesting a need for self-examination and acknowledgment of oneβs emotional state.
Themes
DepressionEmotional AwarenessSelf-ExaminationLifetime Sadness
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a mental health awareness seminar to highlight the importance of recognizing one's emotional state.
More from Emile M. Cioran
All quotes βWe are afraid of the enormity of the possible.
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There was a time when time did not yet exist. β¦ The rejection of birth is nothing but the nostalgia for this time before time.
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A marvel that has nothing to offer, democracy is at once a nation's paradise and its tomb.
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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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