By what right, moreover, could a Christian or a Marxist accuse me, for example, of pessimism? I was not the one to invent the misery of the human being or the terrifying formulas of divine malediction.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Accusations of pessimism ignore that misery and divine punishment were not invented by the speaker.
- In plain terms
- I did not create human misery, so do not blame me for it.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize that observed misery exists independently of your outlook.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who is responsible for misery?
- Is pessimism a choice?
Another view
Optimists might argue that perspective creates the experience of misery.
More from Albert Camus
But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?
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Permalink to quote #117 But I have been sought out, as each individual has been sought out. Artists of the past could at least keep silent in the face of tyranny. The tyrannies of tod…
Permalink to quote #114
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