The Trouble With Being Born

Emil Cioran

1973

December, 2023

8.5/10

A very dark take on life, the passage of time, writing, and people. The ideas are expressed very clearly, though I don't agree with everything. The style is very much like Nietzsche, but more impactful — Cioran does a much better job of expressing himself, in my opinion.

The book can be summarized with the feeling of this aphorism:

"What attracts me is elsewhere, and I don't know what that elsewhere is."

I wish the aphorisms were numbered so I could reference many of the ones that stood out. Cioran has a way of conveying so exceptionally well what exactly makes someone or something deep, meaningful, and interesting. His writing may be dark and despairing, but he understands what is means to be human at the deepest levels.

However, as I feel with Nietzsche, I would appreciate more in-depth and longer pieces.