“The only hope of socialism resides in those who have already brought about in themselves, as far as is possible in the society of today, that union between manual and intellectual labor which characterizes the society we are aiming at.”
Hope
“To get power over is to defile. To possess is to defile.”
PowerAll Quotes by Simone Weil
“Imagination is always the fabric of social life and the dynamic of history. The influence of real needs and compulsions, of real interests and materials, is indirect because the crowd is never conscious of it.”
History“To get power over is to defile. To possess is to defile.”
Power“The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell.”
Intelligence“Charity. To love human beings in so far as they are nothing. That is to love them as God does.”
God“Whatever debases the intelligence degrades the entire human being.”
Intelligence“What a country calls its vital... interests are not things that help its people live, but things that help it make war.”
War“If Germany, thanks to Hitler and his successors, were to enslave the European nations and destroy most of the treasures of their past, future historians would certainly pronounce that she had civilized Europe.”
Future“In the intellectual order, the virtue of humility is nothing more nor less than the power of attention.”
Power“Most works of art, like most wines, ought to be consumed in the district of their fabrication.”
Art“Attachment is the great fabricator of illusions reality can be attained only by someone who is detached.”
Great“An atheist may be simply one whose faith and love are concentrated on the impersonal aspects of God.”
Faith“Humility is attentive patience.”
Patience“A self-respecting nation is ready for anything, including war, except for a renunciation of its option to make war.”
War“The future is made of the same stuff as the present.”
Future“The most important part of teaching is to teach what it is to know.”
Teacher“A test of what is real is that it is hard and rough. Joys are found in it, not pleasure. What is pleasant belongs to dreams.”
Dreams“Beauty always promises, but never gives anything.”
Beauty“The role of the intelligence - that part of us which affirms and denies and formulates opinions is merely to submit.”
Intelligence“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.”
Alone