Freedom… Certainly, I was lucky to have devoured books on finance before discovering literature, that is, to have understood the mechanics of money before committing the folly of dropping everything to become a writer. That way, I was able to do something no one could have taught me: I devised a financial plan, parallel to my study plan, to enable me to write. I prepared myself, through a plan that is still in place, to take the plunge with confidence. Has there ever been a penniless writer with the same luck? I was saved by this very special circumstance. Without it, if I had come across all this talk of freedom, I would have ended up very, very badly.
Category: Notes
Cioran, in an Interview With Michael Jakob…
Cioran, in an interview with Michael Jakob:
M. J. : Aviez-vous décidé avant votre arrivée en France de ne pas travailler dans ce pays non plus ?
C. : Oui, c’est d’une façon ultra-lucide que j’ai compris qu’il faut accepter n’importe quelle humiliation ou souffrance pour se refuser à exercer un métier, à faire des choses qu’on n’aime pas et qu’on ne peut pas aimer, à exercer tout travail impersonnel. Seul j’aurais accepté un travail physique. J’aurais accepté de balayer les rues, n’importe quoi, mais pas d’écrire, de faire du journalisme ! Il fallait tout faire pour ne pas gagner sa vie. Pour être libre il faut supporter n’importe quelle humiliation et c’était presque le programme de ma vie.
Freedom and humiliation! Perhaps no two words are so closely linked. Such a response clearly reveals the feeling that pulsates within a true writer. And this writer, whether he likes it or not, will do little more than bear a life that, for others, would be unthinkable. There is no such thing as recognition in literature. The man dedicates his life to building a body of work, financially becomes a nobody, perseveres against all odds, renounces everything else—and yet, he must hope to remain in the peace of anonymity, to never be read. When that luck does not come, he is envied by his peers and insulted by the first imbecile. In the end, however, it is worth it, because the writer who accepts this, in truth, chooses an authentic life, and can be proud of having sustained it without betraying himself.
It Is Truly Wonderful That Cioran Moved…
It is truly wonderful that Cioran moved to Paris, decided to live without ever holding down a job, and succeeded! Just thinking about this success sparks ideas… It is curious: it seems that something always comes to the rescue of every radical decision of this kind. At least, that is the impression that seems to emerge from reading countless biographies. Someone will surely object: “These, of course, are the ones who survived to tell the story.” But there are many! They go to the extremes of anguish, and when they find the situation unbearable, when they would rather die than prolong it, they take the risk, resolve to do the impossible, and commit to never giving in. And, in the end, things happen. Ah, ideas!…
Injustice Is an Opportunity
Injustice is an opportunity. When it occurs, there is a range of possible reactions. The most common are the most natural, ranging from sadness and discouragement to indignation. These are understandable but thoughtless reactions. They neither impress nor elevate. Injustice, however, offers an opportunity for personal growth—not only to avoid being affected by it and to overcome it, but also to practice the most authentic compassion. In these moments, it is possible to rise above nature, it is possible to be great and to forgive. And, truly, few images leave as deep an impression as that of the wronged person who, mature and compassionate, overcame the injustice without holding a grudge.