The self-respecting intellectual must not only have as a starting point, but also as a constant notion, that his life is a spark in a world that has already existed and will continue to exist. Without this, one is easily swallowed up by a vanity that is ultimately laughable. And when we see how many modern intellectuals fall for this primal illusion, when we see how shameless self-love has become, we see a detachment from reality that prehistoric man could never allow himself, and even for animals, allowing it would mean extinction.
Category: Notes
The Fear of Giving Up an Old Dream
The fear of giving up an old dream is almost always unfounded, and the years shows that giving it up brings a kind of liberation. Sticking to little means being less displeased, if not more fully satisfied. When one realizes this, one sees that it only makes sense to nurture a dream that incurs a salutary practice.
Literature Is a Hard Occupation
Literature is a hard occupation because, in general, its results are not tangible. That is why, in the face of a “practical occupation”, it seems entirely pointless. And even if that is not the case, that is how it seems to the writer who works at it every day, in otherwords, the routine of invisible creation gives rise to a feeling of uselessness that is difficult to master, a feeling that is made much worse by the palpable reality that the newly created work has no effect on anyone, stimulates anyone, and is often not even noticed by anyone. But here lies the brilliant paradox: the more useless literature seems, the more authentic it is. And the great writer completes himself by overcoming appearances and leaving his example of overcoming them as a legacy.
Satisfaction, if Not Sought Now…
Satisfaction, if not sought now, if not experienced in the present circumstances, will never be sought or experienced. One has to get used to having it and wanting it, one has to move towards it, and this can only be done through will, effort and a good disposition. It is always possible to find it, and it is all the more fruitful to do so when it seems so far away. Humility in satisfaction is lasting satisfaction.