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The art of living is the art of knowing how to believe lies.

Cesare Pavese

When writing poetry, it is not that produces a bright idea, but the bright idea that kindles the fire of.
CESARE PAVESE

Bright Fire Ideas Poetry Production Writing
There is no finer revenge than that which others inflict on your enemy. Moreover, it has the advantage of leaving you the role of a generous man.
CESARE PAVESE

Enemy Generosity Man Revenge Yourself
A man is never completely alone in this world. At the worst, he has the company of a boy, a youth, and by and by a grown man – the one he used to be.
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Boy Growth Himself Man Philosophy Wisdom Youth
Every luxury must be paid for, and everything is a luxury, starting with being in this world.
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Luxury Pay World
In general, the man who is readily disposed to sacrifice himself is one who does not know how else to give meaning to his life. The profession of enthusiasm is the most sickening of all insincerities.
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Insecurity Man Ready Sacrifice Sick Yourself
Woman gives herself as a prize to the weak and as a prop to the strong and no man ever has what he should.
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Himself Strong Weakness Woman
The art of living is the art of knowing how to believe lies. The fearful thing about it is that, not knowing what truth may be, we can still recognize lies.
CESARE PAVESE

Art Believe Live Lying Recognition
It is not the actual enjoyment of pleasure that we desire. What we want is to test the futility of that pleasure, so as to be no longer obsessed by it.
CESARE PAVESE

Enjoyment Happiness Obsession Oneself
For women, history does not exist. Murasaki, Sappho, and Madame Lafayette might be their own contemporaries.
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Contemporary Existence History Woman
Lessons are not given, they are taken.
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Knowledge Lesson Wisdom
One must look for one thing only, to find many.
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Finding Oneself Search
The search for a new personality is futile; what is fruitful is the interest the old personality can take in new activities.
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Activity Fruit Personality Search
Give me the ready hand rather than the ready tongue.
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Hands Mouth Ready Willing
One does not kill oneself for love of a woman, but because love – any love – reveals us in our nakedness, our misery, our vulnerability, our nothingness.
CESARE PAVESE

Kill Love Naked Nothing Vulnerable Woman
I spent the whole evening sitting before a mirror to keep myself company.
CESARE PAVESE

Company Evening Mirror Myself
The only way to escape the abyss is to look at it, gauge it, sound it out and descend into it.
CESARE PAVESE

Descend Escape Sound

The art of living is the art of knowing how to believe lies.

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The art of living is the art of knowing how to believe lies.

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