Quote by E. M. Cioran
What we want is not freedom but its appearances. It is for these simulacra that man has always striven. And since freedom, as has been said, is no more than a sensation, what difference is there between being free and believing ourselves free?
Summary
This quote suggests that what humans truly desire is not actual freedom, but rather the illusion or perception of freedom. The pursuit of these illusions, or simulacra, has always been a central aspiration for mankind. It questions the distinction between being truly free and merely believing oneself to be free, asserting that freedom is ultimately just a sensation experienced by individuals. In essence, the quote challenges the significance and difference between authentic freedom and the subjective perception of freedom.
Topics
Freedom
By E. M. Cioran