--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He refused categorically all ideas of…" description: "\"He refused categorically all ideas of fidelity or serious commitments. He explained that they were arbitrary and sterile. From anyone else such views w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/francoise-sagan-3194_arbitrary_he-refused-categorically-all-ideas-of-fi_1372811.jpg" --- # He refused categorically all ideas of fidelity or serious… ![“He refused categorically all ideas of fidelity or serious commitments. He explained that they were arbitrary and sterile. From anyone else such views would have shocked me, but I knew that in his case they did not exclude tenderness and devotion - feelings which came all the more easily to him…” quote by Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/francoise-sagan-3194_arbitrary_he-refused-categorically-all-ideas-of-fi_1372811.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/francoise-sagan-3194_arbitrary_he-refused-categorically-all-ideas-of-fi_1372811.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/francoise-sagan-3194_arbitrary_he-refused-categorically-all-ideas-of-fi_1372811.jpg) > “He refused categorically all ideas of fidelity or serious commitments. He explained that they were arbitrary and sterile. From anyone else such views would have shocked me, but I knew that in his case they did not exclude tenderness and devotion - feelings which came all the more easily to him since he was determined that they should be transient.” [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rejected permanent bonds, viewing them as restrictive, yet still embraced fleeting intimacy. **In simple terms:** Rejecting permanence while seeking temporary love. Key Takeaway Embrace freedom, accept impermanence. Themes love freedom transience Mood reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - romantic encounters - personal philosophy - artistic expression Key Concepts existentialism relationship dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Can one truly love without commitment? - What are the costs of valuing transience? A Different Perspective Such a stance can lead to emotional instability or hurt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arbitrary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arbitrary/) [Arbitrary Sterile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arbitrary-sterile-4732279/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Fidelity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fidelity/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Refused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refused/) [Refused Categorically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refused-categorically-4732277/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sterile Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sterile-views-4732278/) [Tenderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tenderness/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Views Shocked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views-shocked-2879365/) ## Related quotes > [Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/liberals-claim-to-want-to-give-a-hearing-to-other-views-but-then-are/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [It will not bother me in the hour of death to reflect that I have been "had for a sucker" by any number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-will-not-bother-me-in-the-hour-of-death-to-reflect-that-i-have/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [After my bad experience as a kite, I simply refused to go about as a glowing Sadie-headed chicken. That’s fine for Carter, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/after-my-bad-experience-as-a-kite-i-simply-refused-to-go-about-as-a/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“I did not want to have a descendent to recite an elegy one day for me in the desert.” “What’s that?” “I wouldn’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-al-koni/i-did-not-want-to-have-a-descendent-to-recite-an-elegy-one-day-for-me/) [Ibrahim al-Koni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-al-koni/) > [“But what would be our readers’ reaction if we simply refused to get to the bottom of that question?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/but-what-would-be-our-readers-reaction-if-we-simply-refused-to-get-to/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) > [It is more tolerable to be refused than deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-more-tolerable-to-be-refused-than-deceived/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [While receiving radiation treatment for a thyroid illness, I had refused to take beta-blockers - a medication that would have eased its side effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-devers/while-receiving-radiation-treatment-for-a-thyroid-illness-i-had/) [Gail Devers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-devers/) > [“He had been willing to die because he refused to take a life. But me, I contemplated shooting everyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tintera/he-had-been-willing-to-die-because-he-refused-to-take-a-life-but-me-i/) [Amy Tintera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tintera/) > [I was born to love - but none of you wanted to believe it, and that misunderstanding was crucial in forming my character. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/i-was-born-to-love-but-none-of-you-wanted-to-believe-it-and-that/) [George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/) > [“The candidate who billed himself as a billionaire—ten times over—refused even to invest his own money in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-candidate-who-billed-himself-as-a-billionaire-ten-times-over/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [I draw the line at some things. Some things I won't do for any amount of money. Like for instance, there's a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-draw-the-line-at-some-things-some-things-i-won-t-do-for-any-amount/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [“She refused to know love again. The thought of another heartbreak was far too much for her to bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-a-o-neal/she-refused-to-know-love-again-the-thought-of-another-heartbreak-was/) [Terry a O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-a-o-neal/) > [Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/every-champion-was-once-a-contender-that-refused-to-give-up/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [A favor is half granted, when graciously refused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-favor-is-half-granted-when-graciously-refused/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I had only two offers of marriage in my life, and I refused both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-helen-spence/i-had-only-two-offers-of-marriage-in-my-life-and-i-refused-both/) [Catherine Helen Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-helen-spence/) ## More by Francoise Sagan > [It is healthier to see the good points of others than to analyze our own bad ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/it-is-healthier-to-see-the-good-points-of-others-than-to-analyze-our/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [“Every little girl knows about love. It is only her capacity to suffer from it that increases.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/every-little-girl-knows-about-love-it-is-only-her-capacity-to-suffer/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [Writing is just having a sheet of paper, a pen and not a shadow of an idea of what you are going to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/writing-is-just-having-a-sheet-of-paper-a-pen-and-not-a-shadow-of-an/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [“Nicole had put on weight. This is the effect which, in three cases out of four, unhappiness has upon women. The process of eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/nicole-had-put-on-weight-this-is-the-effect-which-in-three-cases-out/) [Françoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [Art must take reality by surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/art-must-take-reality-by-surprise/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [“We always want someone we've treated badly to be gay. It's less upsetting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/we-always-want-someone-we-ve-treated-badly-to-be-gay-it-s-less/) [Françoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [A love affair based on jealousy is doomed from the start ... It is certanly a sign of love, but it's a sign that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/a-love-affair-based-on-jealousy-is-doomed-from-the-start-it-is/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [“There is a certain kind of stupidity reserved for women's dealings with men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/there-is-a-certain-kind-of-stupidity-reserved-for-women-s-dealings/) [Françoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [One partner is always more in love than the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/one-partner-is-always-more-in-love-than-the-other/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [Life has confirmed for me the thoughts and impressions I had when I was 18, as if it was all intuition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/life-has-confirmed-for-me-the-thoughts-and-impressions-i-had-when-i/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [It would be bad form for me to describe people I don't know and don't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/it-would-be-bad-form-for-me-to-describe-people-i-don-t-know-and-don-t/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [Whisky, gambling and Ferraris are better than housework.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/whisky-gambling-and-ferraris-are-better-than-housework/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [Illness is the opposite of freedom. It makes everything impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/illness-is-the-opposite-of-freedom-it-makes-everything-impossible/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [“She said she didn't love him, and he said it didn't matter, and the poverty of their words brought tears to their eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/she-said-she-didn-t-love-him-and-he-said-it-didn-t-matter-and-the/) [Françoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [Art must take reality by surprise. It takes those moments which are for us merely a moment, plus a moment, plus another moment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/art-must-take-reality-by-surprise-it-takes-those-moments-which-are/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) [Explore all 111 Francoise Sagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) ## More Arbitrary quotes > [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. It ignores the health needs of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/it-is-irresponsible-to-set-an-arbitrary-cap-on-how-much-therapy-a/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [Not to be offensive, not to be capricious, not to be arbitrary, not to be neurotic, not to be an actor outer, you're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/not-to-be-offensive-not-to-be-capricious-not-to-be-arbitrary-not-to/) [William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/) > [I don't concern myself with thinking ahead to the finished product. I focus more specifically on what the character is experiencing. Once you relieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-don-t-concern-myself-with-thinking-ahead-to-the-finished-product-i/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [Habit is altogether too arbitrary a master for me to submit to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/habit-is-altogether-too-arbitrary-a-master-for-me-to-submit-to/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [I look back, now, and I know that the naming moment, which seemed so insignificant then, which seemed to demand no more than an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/i-look-back-now-and-i-know-that-the-naming-moment-which-seemed-so/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Contrary to what certain governments say, human rights are universal. Arbitrary detention, torture and discrimination hurt the human dignity of anybody, whatever his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/contrary-to-what-certain-governments-say-human-rights-are-universal/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [What causes adolescents to rebel is not the assertion of authority but the arbitrary use of power, with little explanation of the rules and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-steinberg/what-causes-adolescents-to-rebel-is-not-the-assertion-of-authority/) [Laurence Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-steinberg/) > [There is something on earth greater than arbitrary or despotic power. 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