Albert Camus (November 7, 1913 – January 4, 1960) was a French author, absurdist philosopher and winner of the 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature at age of 44 (still second youngest in the history of the prize to win it).
Here are some of his quotes.
“The aim of art, the aim of a life can only be to increase the sum of freedom and responsibility to be found in every man and in the world. It cannot, under any circumstances, be to reduce or suppress that freedom, even temporarily.”
On life and the meaning of life
“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.”
“Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.”
“To be happy, we must not be too concerned with others.”
“I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world.”
“The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.”
On the Absurd – human mind vs universe
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”
“And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”
“Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.”
“At the heart of all beauty lies something inhuman.”
On being
“Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is.”
“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead. Walk beside me… just be my friend”
“I may not have been sure about what really did interest me, but I was absolutely sure about what didn’t.”
“I do not believe in God and I am not an atheist.”
On coping
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
“Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?”
“Live to the point of tears.”
“People hasten to judge in order not to be judged themselves.”
