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Quote by Simone Weil

“Whatever debases the intelligence degrades the entire human being.”

Quote by Simone Weil

Author

Simone Weil was a French philosopher, social activist, and writer. Born on February 3, 1909, and died on August 24, 1943, Weil is known for her profound philosophical thinking and her passionate commitment to social justice. Her works have had a significant impact on later philosophers and social thinkers. more

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“Who were the fools who spread the story that brute force cannot kill ideas? Nothing is easier. And once they are dead they are no more than corpses.”

Ideas Stories Force Fool Easier Spread Corpses Brutes Fragility Brute Force

Author:Simone Weil

“Imagination is always the fabric of social life and the dynamic of history. The influence of real needs and compulsions, of real interests and materials, is indirect because the crowd is never conscious of it.”

Needs Real Social Interest Imagination History Influence Materials Conscious Crowds Fabric My Imagination Compulsion Social Life Indirect

Book:Selected Essays: 1934-1943

Source: Selected Essays: 1934-1943

“Human beings are so made that the ones who do the crushing feel nothing; it is the person crushed who feels what is happening. Unless one has placed oneself on the side of the oppressed, to feel with them, one cannot understand.”

Feels Humans Persons Made Sides Human Beings Happenings Oneself Oppression Crush Oppressed Crushed

Book:Lectures on Philosophy

Source: Lectures on Philosophy

“There can be a true grandeur in any degree of submissiveness, because it springs from loyalty to the laws and to an oath, and not from baseness of soul.”

Soul Law Degrees Spring Loyalty Obedience Oath Grandeur Baseness

Book:Selected Essays, 1934-1943: Historical, Political, and Moral Writings

Source: Selected Essays, 1934-1943: Historical, Political, and Moral Writings

“If Germany, thanks to Hitler and his successors, were to enslave the European nations and destroy most of the treasures of their past, future historians would certainly pronounce that she had civilized Europe.”

Ifs Past Political Language Nations Civilization Europe Treasure Thanks Germany Civilized Historian Successors Past Future

Book:Selected Essays: 1934-1943

Source: Selected Essays: 1934-1943

“If we are suffering illness, poverty, or misfortune, we think we shall be satisfied on the day it ceases. But there too, we know it is false; so soon as one has got used to not suffering one wants something else.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Want Used Suffering Poverty Illness Cease Satisfied Misfortunes Want Something Dissatisfaction World Suffering

Book:Simone Weil

Source: Simone Weil

“I would suggest that barbarism be considered as a permanent and universal human characteristic which becomes more or less pronounced according to the play of circumstances.”

Humans Play Circumstances Universal Permanent Characteristics Barbarism

Book:Selected Essays, 1934-1943: Historical, Political, and Moral Writings

Source: Selected Essays, 1934-1943: Historical, Political, and Moral Writings

“More than in any other performing arts the lack of respect for acting seems to spring from the fact that every layman considers himself a valid critic.”

Inspirational Art Facts Seems Motivational Actors Acting Spring Respect Critics Performing Performing Arts Layman Lack Of Respect

Author:Simone Weil

“The only hope of socialism resides in those who have already brought about in themselves, as far as is possible in the society of today, that union between manual and intellectual labor which characterizes the society we are aiming at.”

Today Intellectual Labor Unions Socialism Manuals

Book:Oppression and Liberty

Source: Oppression and Liberty

“We are like horses who hurt themselves as soon as they pull on their bits - and we bow our heads. We even lose consciousness of the situation, we just submit. Any re-awakening of thought is then painful.”

Pain Bits Loses Hurt Consciousness Situation Horse Painful Awakening Bows Submit

Book:Formative Writings (Routledge Revivals)

Source: Formative Writings (Routledge Revivals)