Quotes & anectdotes from
the wise,
the foolish,
the courageous &
the drunk

Emile M. Cioran Philosopher

  • Gender: Male
  • Citizenship: Romania
  • Born: Apr 8, 1911
  • Died: Jun 20, 1995

Emil M. Cioran was a Romanian philosopher and essayist, who published works in both Romanian and French. Cioran was born in Rășinari, Sibiu County, which was part of Austria-Hungary at the time. His first French book, A Short History of Decay, was awarded the prestigious Rivarol Prize in 1950. It was the only book for which he accepted an award given to him, claiming that it would have been insolent of him to refuse it. The Latin Quarter of Paris was his permanent residence and he lived much of his life in isolation with his partner Simone Boué.

Crime in full glory consolidates authority by the sacred fear it inspires.

Jealousy - that jumble of secret worship and ostensible aversion.

The fear of being deceived is the vulgar version of the quest for Truth.

Life inspires more dread than death - it is life which is the great unknown.

Intelligence flourishes only in the ages when belief withers.

We would not be interested in human beings if we did not have the hope of someday meeting someone worse off than ourselves.

The desire to die was my one and only concern to it I have sacrificed everything, even death.

Music is the refuge of souls ulcerated by happiness.

What does the future, that half of time, matter to the man who is infatuated with eternity?

Isn't history ultimately the result of our fear of boredom?

No one can enjoy freedom without trembling.

Life is possible only by the deficiencies of our imagination and memory.

For you who no longer posses it, freedom is everything, for us who do, it is merely an illusion.

Society is not a disease, it is a disaster. What a stupid miracle that one can live in it.

Woes and wonders of Power, that tonic hell, synthesis of poison and panacea.

To Live signifies to believe and hope - to lie and to lie to oneself.

To act is to anchor in an imminent future, so imminent it becomes almost tangible to act is to feel you are consubstantial with that future.

What surrounds us we endure better for giving it a name - and moving on.