Nothing sweeter than to drag oneself along behind events; and nothing more reasonable. But without a strong dose of madness, no initiative, no enterprise, no gesture. Reason: the rust of our vitality. It is the madman in us who forces us to adventure; once he abandons us, we are lost; everything depends on him, even our vegetative life; it is he who invites us, who obliges us to breathe, and it is also he who forces our blood to venture through our veins. Once he withdraws, we are alone indeed! We cannot be normal and alive at the same time.

— Emil M. Cioran

Nu pot phi EU insulin deceit DACA ma inapt pan la Curie SAU color pan la descurajare: la novel me biscuit, ignore fatal ca exist.

— Emil M. Cioran

One does not inhabit a country; one inhabits a language. That is our country, our fatherland - and no other.

— Emil M. Cioran

Only god has the privilege of abandoning us. Men can only drop us

— Emil M. Cioran

Only the mediocre want to die of old age. Suffer, then, drink pleasure to its last dregs, cry or laugh, scream in despair or with joy, sing about death or love, for nothing will endure! Morality can only make life a long series of missed opportunities.

— Emil M. Cioran

Progress is the injustice each generation commits with regard to its predecessor.

— Emil M. Cioran

Revenge is not always sweet, once it is consummated we feel inferior to our victim.

— Emil M. Cioran

That there should be a reality hidden behind appearances is, after all, quite possible; that language might render such a thing would be an absurd hope.

— Emil M. Cioran

The contact between beings is established only by mute presence, by apparent non-communication, by that mysterious and wordless exchange which resembles inward prayer.

— Emil M. Cioran

The cynicism of utter solitude is a Calvary relieved by insolence.

— Emil M. Cioran