What do you think of this quote?

Question

"If there is a sin against life, it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life, as in hoping for another life, and in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life."

-- Albert Camus

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

Apparently Camus projected a dichotomy between our existence on the material plane,and our spiritual reality,which may or may not be "eternal". But I agree that despair with respect to this life should never proceed to a longing for a departure for a spiritual plane,or purported afterlife. We don't even know that our spirit can exist without the body; if consciousness is merely a product of the brain,then spirit would not survive mortal death. For all we know,our spiritual dimension may be simply an element of our physical existence. I think perhaps Camus is a poor driver here as well - he swerves to avoid an obvious flaw in organised religion,dogma,etc. But it's just a swerve manuever. In any event,we already have "another life" - our current existance on a spiritual plane coincident to our material existence.

Answer 2

Well, I would say "in hoping for another life AND THEREFORE eluding the implacable grandeur of this life." If you do both, what's the harm? I hope for another life, because I want the opportunity to be more like what your avatar depicts than I will ever be in this life. But of course at the age of 60, I am living with the consequences of bad experiences and bad choices in my earlier years. This is still a good life, and I'm in no hurry to leave it, but still I hope for another try. No, I EXPECT another opportunity. Christians may only be born again once, but I'm a witch, and I will be born again and again and again until I get it perfect!

Answer 3

I like that last part. Though It seems as if philosophyies are like opinions, everybody has one. I can see some truth in all of them, but one just won't do. It seems most of the famous people in the world are biased. Even scientist's have their ego, money, fame and their next book in the ring. Everyone has something to prove. Interestingly enough, the sub-conscious works more like an impartial calculator. It seems that after thousands of years we're still only beginning to figure out how to use our heads. Common sense is intuitive sense, in my understanding, and sometimes ordinary people make more sense than philosophers or any leaders. Look at the question, "what is truth", that philosophers have been asking for a couple of thousand years. Ordinary people have to answer that question everyday. The courts will lock you up for not telling it. Isn't the truth about something. What is the truth about everything is a non question. It's like saying what is treeness. It's leafness and trunkness. Really, only by analagy is trees anything other than a group of trees and a word/symbol/abstraction for trees to be put into a language formula. Truth is what is important for a certain purposes at a specific time and place under certain circumstances. Realativity says that everything can be true at some time or purpose. A lie exists. You need to know about them and they define a truth. Like what is right. Sometimes going left and sometimes right, depending. Maybe they already figured that out and I'm just the last to know. Anyway we have to update Camus, as much as he added to the knowledge pool. Ideas, like food, should not be retained too long. In a minute you need the other truth, usually the seeming opposite. I imagine that's what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable." Something usable short term may have consequences long term or in another situation. The purpose of the whole Bible is to teach us how to think and what to do when we get stuck. I hate to say it, because many hate to hear it, but the Bible condenses all philosophies while being a history and a half dozen other things.

Answer 4

Camus believed that we should live our lives to the fullest. He was born poor in Algeria and he probably wished for a better life than he had without realizing that he needed to live his present life to the fullest and give it meaning. "If, after all, men cannot always make history have meaning, they can always act so that their own lives have one."

Camus was an atheist and didn't believe in sin that is why he said, "If there is a sin...."

Answer 5

This quote, in my opinion, this quote is not about the afterlife. It is about envy. I think it very eloquently is stating to find the value in your life rather than wasting yours wishing you were living someone elses. Other people's lives often look much more appealing than our own. Don't fixate on that, but focus on living yours to the fullest. This is not to say that you won't feel despair in your life (as stated in the first line).

Answer 6

Imagining another better life can be an expression of creativity or could equally reflect withdrawal into a mindset of delusion and denial of reality.

Like most profound sayings, it is ambiguous.

Answer 7

To me it is saying it's a sin to ignore the impact this life you lead will have on the next life that is more important than this one. Which I believe to be true. How you live your life here determines where you will be in accordance with the next. Spiritual growth wise, not works wise.... study God's word as much as possible....

Answer 8

Very apt, it reminds me of my own thought regarding it being more selfish to only act in kindess for the promise of heaven or the threat of hell than to act kindly because you are kind.

Answer 9

It's like saying someone is so heavenly minded that she is no earthly good. Today, most people are so earthly minded that they are no heavenly good. The earthly things are but foggy types, shadows and copies of heavenly realities. Those who cling to shadows will find themselves holding onto nothing in the end.

Answer 10

I'm glad he said, "and". There is no rule stating the two are inextricably linked. I live this life to the fullest, and look forward to the next.