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Quote by Georges Bataille

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Georges Bataille
Georges Bataille

French author and philosopher, born on September 10, 1897, and died on July 9, 1962. Bataille is known for his unique literary style and philosophical thinking, with works spanning various forms including novels, essays, and critiques. more

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“The world of the impotent sits squatting on the straw of the life of illusion. Its law is one of renunciation and defeat, submission to all forms of plunder and pillage. It is based on deliverance from the burdens of the ready-made and moral searches, to comprehend the humiliation and justify it. It is based on a readiness to undertake hereditary or future costuming in order to fell from the conflict of the present.”

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Book:Escape to Hell and Other Stories
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“Most would live into adulthood, as Patrick had. (Which meant there was quite a lot of competitiveness about it, with everybody wanting to beat not only cancer itself, but also the other people in the room. Like, I realize that this is irrational, but when they tell you that you have, say, a 20 percent chance of living five years, the math kicks in and you figure that’s one in five…so you look around and think, as any healthy person would: I gotta outlast four of these bastards.)”

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Book:The Fault in Our Stars
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“There are at least two ways to believe in the idea of quality. You can believe there's something ineffable going on within the human mind, or you can believe we just don't understand what quality in a mind is yet, even though we might someday. Either of those opinions allows one to distinguish quantity and quality. In order to confuse quantity and quality, you have to reject both possibilities. The mere possibility of there being something ineffable about personhood is what drives many technologists to reject the notion of quality. They want to live in an airtight reality that resembles an idealized computer program, in which everything is understood and there are no fundamental mysteries. They recoil from even the hint of a potential zone of mystery or an unresolved seam in one's worldview. This desire for absolute order usually leads to tears in human affairs, so there is a historical reason to distrust it. Materialist extremists have long seemed determined to win a race with religious fanatics: Who can do the most damage to the most people?”

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Book:You Are Not a Gadget
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“When I looked a little closer, I noticed a guy sitting in the dark, tapping his leg in slow, deliberate movements. His head was cast down, but his eyes...his eyes looked directly at me. My breath caught. I tried to focus on what was being said, but the penetrating gaze from the guy in shadows made my heart pound wildly. When my eyes found their way back to him, I noticed the scowl on his face and immediately looked away. My goodness, this was going to be a long meeting.”

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Book:Underwater
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“Do you know what cools the fiery heart and smashes the rock-hard heart into grains of sand? It's doubt. Doubt toward yourself. I must say it's natural. Your heart can't always stay the same. The burning passion you once had disappears and when your body becomes heavy, you start to have worthless thoughts. If that happens, your thoughts tend to flow in a negative direction. Which is why you shouldn't do it alone, but together. When you can't believe in yourself try believing in those who believe in you. And later on when their own spirits are crushed, pay them back by believing in them the same way! When you move forward together you'll be able to do so with more strength!”

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Book:The Lazy Lord Masters the Sword
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