Available Quote by Michel de Certeau
“Along with the lazy man... the dying man is the immoral man: the former, a subject that does not work; the latter, an object that no longer even makes itself available to be worked on by others.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Practice of Everyday Life, Michel de Certeau, 1980
A lazy person avoids effort, while a dying person becomes unusable to others, losing agency and purpose.
In simple terms: Laziness avoids work; dying loses usefulness.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and act before becoming passive.
Themes
work ethic
mortality
agency
purpose
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- career stagnation
- health decline
- relationship neglect
Key Concepts
existentialism
social theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does inactivity affect self‑worth?
- Can purpose be reclaimed later?
A Different Perspective
A person may still find meaning despite decline.
![“His [the pedestrian's] elevation transfigures him into a voyeur. It puts his at a distance. It transforms the bewitching world by which one was 'possessed' into a text that lies before one's eyes. It allows one to read it, to be a solar Eye, looking down like a god. The exaltation of a scopic and…” quote by Michel de Certeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e6f/michel-de-certeau-15812_92_his-the-pedestrian-s-elevation-transfigu_256393.jpg)
![“When he grew old, Aristotle, who is not generally considered a tightrope dancer, liked to lose himself in the most labyrinthine and subtle of discourses […]. ‘The more solitary and isolated I become, the more I come to like stories,’ he said.” quote by Michel de Certeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/11a/michel-de-certeau-15812_dance_when-he-grew-old-aristotle-who-is-not-ge_702039.jpg)
