Table Of ContentE. M. CIORAN
A Decay
ShorHti stoorfy
Tarnslfraotmte hFder ebyn Rcihc hHaorwda rd
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Contents
I DirectfiooDrnse composi1t ion
2 TheS econd-HTahnidn k9e7r
3 FaceosfD ecadenIcI3e
4 Sanctaintdyt hGeri maceosft hAeb solu1t29e
5 TheD ecoorfK nowled1g4e7
6 AbdicatiISoSn s
DirefcoDtrei coonmsp osition
1
GenealoogfFy a natic-iTshmeA nti-Pro-pIhnte hte G raveyard
ofD efiniti-oCnisv ilizaantdiF orni vo-lDiitsys olviinntGgoo d
-VariatoinoD nesa t-hI nt heM argionfM oment-sD islocation
ofT ime- MagnificeFnutt il-iEtxye gesoifF sa il-urCeo alition
againDseta t-h Supremaocfyt heA dject-iTvhee D eviRle
assur-ePdr omenaadreo untdh eC ircumfer-eTnhceeS undays
ofL if-eR esignat-iTohneI ndirect A-nTihmea lK etyoO ur
Enduran-cAen nihilabtyiD oenl iver-aTnhcee AbstVreancotm
-TheC onsciousonfeM siss er-yI nterjeTchtoiuvgeh- tA poth
eosiosf t heV agu-e Solitude-Socfht ihseHm e ar-tT wilight
Thinke-rRse sourcoefsS elf-Destr-uTchteiR oena ctionary
Angel-sT heC oncerfno Dre cenc-yG amuto ft he V-oCiedr tain
Mornin-gMsi litMaonutr ni-nIgm munittoyR enuncia-tTihoen
WorldE'qsu ilibr-iFuamr ewetloPl h iloso-pFhryo mS aintto
Cyni-cR eturtnot heE lemen-tSsu bterf-uNgoens- Resistance
toN igh-tT urnian Cgo ldS houldteoTr i me- Two-FacFerde e
dom- Overworkebdy D ream-sT heM odeTlr ait-oIrnO neo f
theE arth's -AItntdiecfisn Hiotrer o-rU nconsciDoougsm as-
DualitTyh e-R enegade -Sohfat dheeFs u tur-eT heF loweorf
FixeIdd easT h-e' CelesDtoiga'-l A mbiguoiftGy e niusI d-ola
troyf D isas-tTehre Dem-oTnh eM ockeroyfa ' NeLwi f-eT'ri ple
Impas-sCeo smogonoyfD esi-rIen terpretoafA tcitoino- nLsi fe
withoOubtj ect-iAvcee di-aC rimeosfC ourage Faena-drD isin
toxica-tIitoinn eroafHr ayt e- 'LPae rduGtean t-eH'i stoarnyd
Languag-eP hilosoapnhdPy r otsitut-iOobns essoifot nh eE ssen
tia-lF eliCoiftE yp igon-eUsl timaAtued aci-tEyffi gy oft he
A ShorHtis toryof D ecay
Failu-rCeo nditioofnT sr aged-yT heI mmanenLti e- The
Cominogf C onscious-nTehseAs r roganocfPe r ay-eLry pema
nia- EverydCauyr s-eD efenosfeC orrupt-iTohne O bsolete
Univer-sDee crepit Man
I'jlolwi intb hl adceks paagiarim nyss otu l,
Antdom y sbeelfc oamnee n emy.
-RichIIaI rd
Genaelgoyo fF anaticism
Ini tseelvfe,r iyd eias n eutroarls ,h oulbde ;b utm an animates
ideapsr,o jehcitflssa measn dfl awsi nto thiempmu;r ter,a nsformed
intboe lieifdse,at sa kteh eiprl acient imet,a kseh apaese vetnhtes :
trajecitsoc roym plefrtoem, logitcoe pile.p.s.wy h encteh eb irth
ofi deologdioecst,r idneeasd,lg ya mes.
Idolatbeyir nss tiwnecc to,n vetrhteo bjecotfos u rd reamasn d
ouri ntereisnttsto h eU nconditiHoinsatlo.ir sny o thing butap roces
sioonf f alsAeb solutae sse,r ioefst emplreasi steodp retexat s,
degradaotfit ohnem indb efotrheeI mprobaEbvleewn.h enh et urns
from religmiaonnr ,e maisnusb jetcoit t d;e plethiinmgs etlocf r eate
fakgeo dsh,e t hefne veriasdholpytt sh emh:i nse edf ofirc tiofno,r
mytholotgriyu mphosv eerv idenacneda bsurdailtiykH ei.sp ower
toa doriesr esponsfiobrall elh isc rimeas m:a nw ho loav egso d
undulfyo rcoetsh emre nt ol ovhei gso de,a getroe xtermitnhaetme
ift herye fuseT.h eries n of ormo fi ntoleraofnp creo,s elyotri sm
ideologiinctarla nsiwgheinccfhea itlors e vetahleb estsiuabls tratum
ofe nthusiaOsnmc.em anl osehsif sacu ltofyi nifdefrehneb ceec omes
a potential muorndceehr eet rr;a nsfohrismis d eian tao g odt he
consequenacreei sn calculWaeb klielo.nll y i nt hen ameo fa g odo r
ofh icso unterftehieet xsc:e ssperso vokbeydt heg oddeRsesa son,
byt hec onceopftn atiocnl,a sosr,r acaer ea kitno t hosoef t he
Inquisiotrio oftn h eR eformatTihoena .g eosf f ervaobro unidn
bloodeyx ploaiS tasi: nTte rescao ulodn lbye t hec ontemporoafr y
thea uto-daa- Lfuet,h eorft her epressoifto hneP easanRtesv'o lt.
Ine vermyy stiocu tburtshtem, o anso fv ictipmasr altlheeml o ans
3
A Short oHfDis etcoaryy
ofe csta.s.y.S caffolddusn,g eojnasi,fll osu riosnhl y thiens hadow
ofa fai-tho ft hante edt ob eliewvhei chha si nfesttheedm ind
forevTehre.d evipla les betshiemd aen w hoo wnsa truthh,i s
trutWhe. a reu nfatiora Neroa, T iberiiutws a:s n ott hewyh o
inventthecedo ncehpet rtehtewiye cr:oen ldye generdraetaem erwsh o
happenteodb ee ntertabiynm eads sacrTehse.r eaclr iminaarles
menw hoe stablaino srht hodooxynt her eligioorpu osl itliecvaell ,
menw hod istingbueitswhe etnh ef aithafnudtl h es chismatic.
When wer efutsoae d mitth ei nterchancgheaabrlaeco tfie dre as,
bloofdl ow.s. .fi rmr esoldvreaswt hed aggefire;r eyy epsr esage
slaughNtoe wra.v erimnign di,n fecwtietdHh a rnletiwsams,e ver
pernicitohueps r:i nciopfle ev illi eisnt hew illt'esn siionnt ,h e
incapafcoiqrtu yi etiisntm h,eP romethemaeng alomaonfia ar ace
that bursitdse awtlihsta,ht expwliotdihet csso nvictainodnt sh,a t,
inr etufronhr a vifnogr sadkoeunb atn ds lo-tvhi cneosb ltehra anl l
itvsi rtu-heass t aketnh ep attho p erditiinotnho,i stotrhy.ai tn de
cenatl loofyb analaintdya pocaly.p.s.He e rec ertitaubdoeusn d:
suppress btehseotmf ,a lslu ppretshse icro nsequenacnedsy o,u
recovpearr adiWshea.ti st heF alblu tt hep ursuoifat t rutahn dt he
assuraynocueh avfeo unidt t,h ep assifoonra dogmad,o micile
withaid no gmaT?h er esuilsft a nati-cfuinsdma mentdaelf ewchti ch
givmeasn t hec ravifnoger ff ectivefnoeprsr so.p hefcoy:rt err-oar
lyrilceaplr obsyyw hichhe c ontaminastoeusls su,b dutehse m,
crushoeres x alts .t h.Oe nm.l yt he ske(potirid clseo rras e sthetes)
escapbee,c autshee py rpoosnoet hinbge,c autshee -y humanity's
trubee nefac-tournsd ermine fanaticisma'nsa lypizuters p oses,
frenzy. If eesla fwietrahP yrrhtoh awni tahS ainPta ulf,oa rj esting
wisdoimsg entltehra ann u nbridslaendc tIintt y.h ef ervent mind
youa lwayfisn dt hec amouflagbeeda sotf p reyn;o p rotection is
adequaatgea intshtec l awosfa p roph.e.tO. n ceh er aisheisvs o ice,
whethienrt hen ameo fh eaveonf,t hec ityo,r s omeo theerx cuse,
awawyi tyho us:a toyfry ousro lituhdeew, i lnlo tf orgiyvoeul ri ving
ont hew ronsgi doefh itsr utahnsd h itsr anstpsoh;re w antyso ut o
sharhei hsy sterhiiafs,u llnheesw sa,n ttso i mposieto ny oua,n d
theretbody i sfiguryeo uA. human being pobsyas b eeslsieedf and
4
DirefcotDrie ocnosm position
note agerp atsois to nt oo theirsasp henomenaolni teont hee arth,
wheroeu rm anifao sra lvation muankberse altihfLaeob olkae r.o und
youe:v erywheres,p ectperresa chienagc;ih n stituttriaonns laa tes
missicoint;hy a lhlasv teh eaibrs oluetvee,an s t het empl-eosffi cila
dom, wiittrhsu le-sa m etaphysdiecssi gnfeodrm onkey.s. .
Everyotnrey itnogr emedeyv eryonlei'fesev :e bne ggaervse,tn h e
incuraabslpeit roie t t:h es idewaalnkdhs o spitoaftl hsew orlodv er
flow witrhe formers. Thet obl eocnogmiaen s go urcoefe vents
affecetasc mha nl ikae m entadli sorodrea r d esirmeadl ediction.
Socie-tayni nferonfso a vioWrhsa!tD iogenweassl ookifnogwr i th
hilsa ntewransa ni nifdferemnatn . ..
Iti se nougfho mre toh easro meontea lski nceraebloyui td eals,
aboutth ef uturaeb,o upth ilopshyot,o h eahirm say' wew'i tah
certain inoflfeac stsiuorna ntcohe e,a hri mi nvok'eo thers' and
regarhdi msealsft heiirn terpreftoermr e t-oc onsidhime rm y
enem.y sIe ei nh ima tyramnatn quaen,a pproximeaxteec uteiro,n
quitaesd etestaasbt lheefi rst-tryartaen tthsfie,r st-erxaetceu tioners.
Everfya itphr actiscoemsef ormo ft erroarltl,h em ored readful
whent he' puraer'ei tasg entWse. m istrusstw itnhdetl heetr ri,c kster,
thec onm an;y ett ot hemw e cani mputneo neo fhi storgyr'esa t
convulsions; biennl oitehviinniggti, sn ott hey who rumimna ge
youhre artosry, o uurl termiootri vtehse;ly e avyeo ut oy ouarp athy,
toy oudre spaoirtr o y ouurs elesstnoet shse;mh umanitoyw est he
fewm omentosf p rosperiitht aysk nowni:ti st hewyh os avteh e
peoplwehso mf anattiocrst uarned' idealistsD'o cdterisnterloey.s s,
thehya voen lwyh imasn di ntereasctcso,m modatviincgae t sh ou
santdi memso ree nduratbhlaetn h er avagperso vokbeypd r incipled
despotifsomar;l o lf l ifeev'iscl osm efr oma ' concepotfil oinf'An e .
accomplipsohleidt ischioaunls de arocuht t haen ciesnotp hiasntds
taklee ssoinnos r ato-rayn di nc orrupt.i.o.n
Whereatsh ef anaitisic n corrupitfhi bekl ilel:fs o anr idehae,c an
jusatsw elgle hti mseklifl lfeodor n ei;ne ithcears tey,r aonrmt a rtyr,
hei sa m onsteNro. h umanb einagrsem ored angertohuastn h ose
whoh avseuf ferefdo ar b elitehfeg: r eapte rsecuatroerr esc ruited
amongt hem artynrostq uitbee headeFda.rfr om diministhihneg
5
