by Nomad
The French philosopher, author, and playwright, Albert Camus was one of the most influential thinkers of the post-World War era. He was the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history. His works include The Stranger, The Plague, The Myth of Sisyphus, The Fall and The Rebel.
One of the key themes that he explored in his works was the coexistence of love and hate as a part of the human condition. How are we to survive in a world gripped - and nearly destroyed - by intractable hate? Can we find the means to cope?
In the quote below, Camus suggests that even in the midst of hatred and adversity, we may still find an “invincible love” within ourselves. But it will require both perseverance and inner strength. Camus emphasizes that one can find an "invincible smile," "invincible calm," and "invincible summer" within. This speaks to his belief in the resilience and fortitude of the human spirit.
In 1960, Albert Camus, French author, philosopher and journalist, died in an automobile accident at age 46. In his coat pocket lay an unused train ticket. Camus had intense Motorphobia (fear of automobiles), and thus avoided riding in cars as much as possible. Instead, he took trains everywhere, as much as he could. He had planned to travel by train with his wife and children, but at the last minute accepted his publisher’s request to travel with him by car. And so it goes.
