The absurd has meaning only in so far as it is not agreed to. Albert Camus More Quotes by Albert Camus More Quotes From Albert Camus I was always able to understand my friend who decided to quit smoking and who, through an effort of will, succeeded in doing so. One morning, he opened the newspaper, read that the first H- bomb had exploded, found out about the bomb's admirable effects and went straight to the tobacconist's. Albert Camus health smoking morning After all manner of professors have done their best for us, the place we are to get knowledge is in books. The true university of these days is a collection of books. Albert Camus teacher retirement book I know [my label], in any case: a double face, a charming Janus, and underneath, the house motto: "Be wary". On my business cards:"Jean-Baptiste Clamence, actor". Albert Camus labels hypocrisy house Yes, I know what passion would fill me with all its power. Before, I was too young. I got in the way. Now I know that acting and loving and suffering is living, of course, but it’s only living insofar as you can be transparent and accept your fate, like the unique reflection of a rainbow of joys and passions which is the same for everyone. Albert Camus fate passion reflection I may not have been sure about what really did interest me, but I was absolutely sure about what didn't. Albert Camus interest may life Only the sea, murmurous behind the dingy checkerboard of houses, told of the unrest, the precariousness, of all things in this world. Albert Camus unrest sea house No longer were there individual destinies; only a collective destiny, made of plague and emotions shared by all. Albert Camus individual destiny emotion Only he who is uncompromising as to his rights maintains the sense of duty. Albert Camus uncompromising duty rights A man who has become conscious of the absurd is for ever bound to it. Albert Camus absurd conscious men Yes, I'm happy, in human terms. Albert Camus term humans How hard it is, how bitter it is to become a man! Albert Camus bitter bitterness men I enjoyed my own nature to the fullest, and we all know there lies happiness, although, to soothe one another mutually, we occasionally pretend to condemn such joys as selfishness. Albert Camus joy happiness lying The love of God is a hard love. It demands total self-surrender, disdain of our human personality. And yet it alone can reconcile us to suffering and the deaths of children, it alone can justify them, since we cannot understand them, and we can only make God's will ours. Albert Camus personality self children There's the risk of being loved...and that would keep me from being happy. Albert Camus being-loved risk We call first truths those we discover after all the others. Albert Camus truth firsts All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning. Albert Camus bad-ass new-beginnings creativity There are crimes of passion and crimes of logic. The boundary between them is not clearly defined. Albert Camus logic passion life We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage. Albert Camus deceived-us love life We [Raymond and Meursault] stared at each other without blinking, and everything came to a stop there between the sea, the sand, and the sun, and the double silence of the flute and the water. It was then that I realized that you could either shoot or not shoot. Albert Camus silence sea water There can be no true goodness, nor true love, without the utmost clear-sightedness. Albert Camus clear goodness life
