Plentiful_Despair

Plentiful_Despair

Experienced
Aug 23, 2024
265
His by far best book in my opinion is "The trouble with being born". The way this guy writes is not only beautiful and (mostly) simple to understand compared to other philosophers, it feels like I'm looking at my own thoughts, so much stuff that I feel deeply but couldn't consciously express in words. He basically burns all bridges with existence and advocates for suicide as being always the best choice anyone can make. And he does this by writing about his thoughts regarding human culture, society, existence itself and why it all sucks.

2016-11-23-cioran-jpg-100-1920x1080.jpg
 
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Lost Magic

Lost Magic

Illuminated
May 5, 2020
3,045
Interesting. I'll be sure to look into his work. Thanks for sharing!
 
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opheliaoveragain

opheliaoveragain

Eating Disordered Junkie
Jun 2, 2024
695
Found a PDF of it—many thanks. I love it already. You worded my feelings perfectly as well OP
 
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CatLvr

Specialist
Aug 1, 2024
388
Found a PDF of it—many thanks. I love it already. You worded my feelings perfectly as well OP
Do you mind sharing a link?? I was just fixing to skip over to Amazon when I saw your post. 😁 If not, it's cool -- I kinda like hard copy when I'm reading anyway. Very much old school that way. 🤗
 
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_AllCatsAreGrey_

_AllCatsAreGrey_

(they/he)
Mar 4, 2024
490
I'm a huge fan and appreciate the reminder of him. Thanks OP.

This quote of his is a personal fave:


Here is a reading of The Fall into Time:
(Note, link is a playlist of videos. They don't need to be "read" in order. Cioran wrote in fragments.)


I recommend both "The Temptation to Exist" and "A Short History of Decay".
 
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banger12

banger12

Former nerd; current burden
Aug 1, 2024
171
Thanks for the book rec(s). I always like a good read. Ive heard the name a lot and ive been interested but never got around to him. I think my local B&N has a Cioran book on hand but idk if it's the same one. If I were to get the title and ask would you be able to tell me it's worth a purchase?
 
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Plentiful_Despair

Plentiful_Despair

Experienced
Aug 23, 2024
265
Thanks for the book rec(s). I always like a good read. Ive heard the name a lot and ive been interested but never got around to him. I think my local B&N has a Cioran book on hand but idk if it's the same one. If I were to get the title and ask would you be able to tell me it's worth a purchase?
You can find most of his stuff for free on the web too, but yes, its definetely worth a purchase. Amazon sells the ebook version of "The trouble with being born" for 11 dollar
 
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banger12

banger12

Former nerd; current burden
Aug 1, 2024
171
You can find most of his stuff for free on the web too, but yes, its definetely worth a purchase. Amazon sells the ebook version of "The trouble with being born" for 11 dollar
Fair. But I have a gift card rn and I prefer a physical copy when I can afford one.
 
Holu

Holu

Hypomania go brrr
Apr 5, 2023
669
Nothing will ever beat the insanity that was Mitchel Herman's suicide note. Incredibly based lmao. That said I do recommend reading the second chapter "an experiment on nihilism" if your bored. That parts a quick read and the best portion.
 
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Plentiful_Despair

Plentiful_Despair

Experienced
Aug 23, 2024
265
Nothing will ever beat the insanity that was Mitchel Herman's suicide note. Incredibly based lmao. That said I do recommend reading the second chapter "an experiment on nihilism" if your bored. That parts a quick read and the best portion.
I don't understand why he felt the need to write 1900 pages, thats way too much. I have no intention to write any note. If people dont understand already why someone would kill themselves they are anyway not going to change their mind. Its a fundamental difference in logic and perception. I like Ciorans writing because its like poetry, its quick and simple and unrelated between "chapters"
 
lamargue

lamargue

sleepwalker
Jun 5, 2024
464
Nothing will ever beat the insanity that was Mitchel Herman's suicide note. Incredibly based lmao.
i always found it incredibly sad how so many are quick to chide the work as a popinjay's word-salad that holds no inherent value. i think the antagonism partly derives from a prejudice against promortalist philosophy; people prefer bromides over all else, so long as it satiates their own thoughts. even if many perceive him to be wrong, it's very clear that he dedicated a great deal of his time and effort into his suicide note, which i think demands some form of respect, independent of whether or not you agree with him
 
Plentiful_Despair

Plentiful_Despair

Experienced
Aug 23, 2024
265
i always found it incredibly sad how so many are quick to chide the work as a popinjay's word-salad that holds no inherent value. i think the antagonism partly derives from a prejudice against promortalist philosophy; people prefer bromides over all else, so long as it satiates their own thoughts. even if many perceive him to be wrong, it's very clear that he dedicated a great deal of his time and effort into his suicide note, which i think demands some form of respect, independent of whether or not you agree with him
It's certainly impressive to write that much, but I can't take the content seriously. The overview section alone is just...insane, I don't know how else to say it. So much stuff about jews, jesus, religion in general is mentioned so much. I don't believe in any of this schizo crap, sorry. Religion has brought nothing but suffering to my family and untold others all over the world, any religion, its all the same at their core.
 
M

mateusz432

Member
Aug 24, 2024
6
My plan is to read some Emil Cioran books, but I don't know where to start. I can recommend another pessimistic philosopher - Peter Wessel Zapffe and his short essay "The Last Messiah".
 
_AllCatsAreGrey_

_AllCatsAreGrey_

(they/he)
Mar 4, 2024
490
I just stumbled upon this old doc about Cioran:



Also, this is an episode on a philosophy podcast about Cioran:
 
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Ah.ow

scared person
Mar 12, 2024
124
Nothing will ever beat the insanity that was Mitchel Herman's suicide note. Incredibly based lmao. That said I do recommend reading the second chapter "an experiment on nihilism" if your bored. That parts a quick read and the best portion.
I couldn't find the note, can you share it or help me find it?
 
C

Circles

Visionary
Sep 3, 2018
2,297
When I was at my worst reading Cioran was cathartic. My favorite quote from him is this:

"It is not worth the bother of killing yourself, since you always kill yourself too late."
 
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Kavka

Student
Jun 11, 2024
138
Yeah, he's the kind of friend you need when you're feeling depressed and need someone to commiserate with, but without the usual hopeful and optimistic platitudes. Someone who's even more of a drama queen than you are in their bleak outlook on life, but who's also more eloquent and witty.

He's more of a thinking in problems than thinking in solutions kind of guy, but the main solution to his problems in life (e.g. insomnia) that he accidentally stumbled upon actually works.

Buy a bike and ride it until you're completely exhausted.
 

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