The essential characteristic of the first half of the twentieth century is the growing weakness, and almost the disappearance, of the idea of value. Simone Weil More Quotes by Simone Weil More Quotes From Simone Weil The full expression of personality depends upon its being inflated by social prestige; it is a social privilege. Simone Weil privilege personality expression The human soul has need of security and also of risk. The fear of violence or of hunger or of any other extreme evil is a sickness of the soul. The boredom produced by a complete absence of risk is also a sickness of the soul. Simone Weil boredom soul evil Oppression that is clearly inexorable and invincible does not give rise to revolt but to submission. Simone Weil doe giving peace Of two men who have no experience of God, he who denies him is perhaps nearer to him than the other. Simone Weil deny men two Science is voiceless; it is the scientists who talk. Simone Weil voiceless scientist science Petroleum is a more likely cause of international conflict than wheat. Simone Weil wheat war peace If it were conceivable that in obeying God one should bring about one's own damnation whilst in disobeying him one could be saved, I should still choose the way of obedience. Simone Weil obeying-god damnation way 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. Simone Weil respect motivational inspirational The poet produces the beautiful by fixing his attention on something real. Simone Weil real work beautiful The necessity for power is obvious, because life cannot be lived without order; but the allocation of power is arbitrary because all men are alike, or very nearly. Yet power must not seem to be arbitrarily allocated, because it will not then be recognized as power. Therefore prestige, which is illusion, is of the very essence of power. Simone Weil essence men order We can only know one thing about God - that he is what we are not. Our wretchedness alone is an image of this. The more we contemplate it, the more we contemplate him. Simone Weil wretchedness contemplating god The villagers seldom leave the village; many scientists have limited and poorly cultivated minds apart from their specialty. Simone Weil village mind science One cannot imagine St. Francis of Assisi talking about rights. Simone Weil humility rights talking If you say to someone who has ears to hear: "What you are doing to me is not just," you may touch and awaken at its source the spirit of attention and love. But it is not the same with words like, "I have the right..." or "you have no right to..." They evoke a latent war and awaken the spirit of contention. Simone Weil attention-and-love war life Contradiction itself, far from always being a criterion of error, is sometimes a sign of truth. Simone Weil perspective errors sometimes The essential thing to know about God is that God is Good. All the rest is secondary. Simone Weil essentials knows religion The speed with which bureaucracy has invaded almost every branch of human activity is something astounding once one thinks about it. Simone Weil speed branches thinking In relation to God, we are like a thief who has burgled the house of a kindly householder and been allowed to keep some of the gold. From the point of view of the lawful owner this gold is a gift; Form the point of view of the burglar it is a theft. He must go and give it back. It is the same with our existence. We have stolen a little of God's being to make it ours. God has made us a gift of it. But we have stolen it. We must return it. Simone Weil god views giving There is an easiness in salvation which is more difficult to us than all our efforts. Simone Weil easiness effort salvation War is the supreme form of prestige. Simone Weil prestige form war
