From the very beginning, existentialism defined itself as a philosophy of ambiguity. Simone de Beauvoir More Quotes by Simone de Beauvoir More Quotes From Simone de Beauvoir There is only one solution if old age is not to be an absurd parody of our former life, and that is to go on pursuing ends that give our existence a meaning. Simone de Beauvoir agegoes-ongiving Tonight, once more, life sinks its teeth into my heart. Simone de Beauvoir teethtonightheart One can not start by saying that our earthly destiny has or has not importance, for it depends upon us to give it importance. Simone de Beauvoir importancedestinygiving As long as there have been men and they have lived, they have all felt this tragic ambiguity of their condition, but as long as there have been philosophers and they have thought, most of them have tried to mask it. Simone de Beauvoir philosophermenlong The curse which lies upon marriage is that too often the individuals are joined in their weakness rather than in their strength - each asking from the other instead of finding pleasure in giving. Simone de Beauvoir marriagegivinglying I never thought of myself as being in the avant-garde. I said what I had to say, as I was able to say it. Simone de Beauvoir avant-gardeablesaid The most sympathetic of men never fully comprehend woman's concrete situation. Simone de Beauvoir sympatheticsituationmen Defending the truth is not something one does out of a sense of duty or to allay guilt complexes, but is a reward in itself. Simone de Beauvoir rewardsguilttruth I cannot be angry at God, in whom I do not believe. Simone de Beauvoir positive-atheismatheistbelieve There is the problem of unpaid labor, such as housework, which represents millions and millions of unsalaried work hours and on which masculine society is firmly based. To put an end to this would be to send the present-day capitalist system flying in a single blow. Only we can't do it by ourselves; there have to be other kinds of attacks on the system. So a certain alliance with revolutionary systems is necessary, even masculine ones. Simone de Beauvoir flyingwould-beblow It's important that you think of your relationship with the world and the way you can express that world and that you not be stopped if it scandalizes or embarrasses; but you must not look for scandal or for the avant-garde as a thing in itself. Simone de Beauvoir avant-gardeimportantthinking Writing ... is a profession that can only be learned by writing. Simone de Beauvoir professionwriting If her functioning as a female is not enough to define woman, if we decline also to explain her through "the eternal feminine," and if nevertheless we admit, provisionally, that women do exist, then we must face the question: what is a woman? Simone de Beauvoir femaleeternityfaces This has always been a man's world, and none of the reasons that have been offered in explanation have seemed adequate. Simone de Beauvoir menphilosophyworld Patience is one of those feminine qualities which have their origin in our oppression but should be preserved after our liberation. Simone de Beauvoir feminineoppressionquality Only a woman can write what it is to feel as a woman, to be a woman. Simone de Beauvoir writingfeels You have never had any confidence in him. And if he has no confidence in himself it is because he sees himself through your eyes. Simone de Beauvoir no-confidenceeyeifs Literature is always what the dominant ideology recognizes as literature. Simone de Beauvoir dominantideologyliterature I like everyone who tries to show that madness is, in large part, conditioned by society and particularly by the family, and therefore, strongly affects women. Simone de Beauvoir madnessshowstrying It is in the knowledge of the genuine conditions of our lives that we must draw our strength to live and our reasons for living. Simone de Beauvoir reasonpositivelife
