Conscious Quote by Georges Bataille
““We have in fact only two certainties in this world—that we are not everything and that we will die. To be conscious of not being everything, as one is of being mortal, is nothing. But if we are without a narcotic, an unbreathable void reveals itself. I wanted to be everything, so that falling into this void, I might summon my courage and say to myself: “I am ashamed of having wanted to be everything, for I see now that it was to sleep.” From that moment begins a singular experience. The mind moves in a strange world where anguish and ecstasy coexist.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Accursed Share, Georges Bataille, 1949
The passage reflects on human limits, mortality, and the existential void that appears when one seeks total control, leading to both suffering and transcendence.
In simple terms: Seeking total control reveals emptiness and mixed feelings.
Key Takeaway
Accept limits and find meaning beyond total control.
Themes
existentialism
philosophy
human condition
mortality
Mood
reflective
introspective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- creative writing
- therapy
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
nihilism
transcendence
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “being everything” mean to you?
- How can confronting mortality shape your choices?
A Different Perspective
The abstract nature may be hard to apply practically.
![“Even then, I didn't quite know what to make of it [captain Kirk death]. I was mystified by why I was doing it, why I was so driven to do it, and why it was affecting me like it was. I still don't know what it means. It's a strange singular experience. I don't even know anyone to talk to about it…” quote by Ronald D. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4d2/ronald-d-moore-11322_captain-kirk_even-then-i-didn-t-quite-know-what-to-ma_1640129.jpg)
![“[F]or academic men to be happy, the universe would have to take shape. All of philosophy has no other goal: it is a matter of giving a frock coat to what is, a mathematical frock coat. On the other hand, affirming that the universe resembles nothing and is only formless amounts to saying that the…” quote by Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d5d/georges-bataille-3741_academic_f-or-academic-men-to-be-happy-the-univer_156790.jpg)
![“[Zarathustra] never abandoned the watchword of not having any end, not serving a cause, because, as he knew, causes pluck off the wings we fly with.” quote by Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7df/georges-bataille-3741_abandoned_zarathustra-never-abandoned-the-watchwor_257983.jpg)
