L'erreur de Narcisse

by Louis Lavelle, Jean-Louis Vieillard-Baron (Preface)

Narcisse ne veut connaître que lui-même ; il ne rencontre qu'une apparence. Il voudrait se voir comme un autre le voit, mais la fontaine ne lui présente qu'une image sans vie à laquelle il s'aliène. Il préfèrera cette image à lui-même ; l'amour qu'il lui porte l'en rendra captif, dans l'instant de sa contemplation. La véritable introspection demande d'être, au contraire, attentif à son activité même, à la mise en oeuvre des projets et à la réalisation de soi. Cette démarche s'effectue dans un univers qui est commun à tous ; dans cet univers nous rencontrerons donc d'autres personnes. Narcisse nous apprend, a contrario, qu'il ne suffit pas d'avoir un coeur pur ; la vie de l'esprit exige une action et d'abord sur soi-même. La destinée de chacun est bien de réaliser à travers des événements réels où l'imprévu a un rôle à jouer. Il ne suffit pas de se sentir exister ; il faut encore, même à travers ses propres tourments, s'engager dans l'action où là seulement on trouvera ce que l'on est. Le corps n'est pas à contempler, mais à nourrir de significations pour en faire l'instrument des conduites qui seules nous révèleront à nous-même. Ainsi le monde de l'esprit n'est pas le secret de chacun, mais le lieu d'un frémissement à partir duquel sont interrogés les chemins de la vie et les regards des personnes. La pureté de la conscience ne consiste pas à s'isoler de tout, mais à exprimer dans le monde l'unité de sa vie personnelle. Celle-ci est alors devenue la lumière qui éclaire toutes choses en ce monde.

Genres: Philosophy, Metaphysics, Nonfiction

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 15, 1993

About the author

Louis Lavelle was Professor at the College de France; at the Sorbonne; and lectured at German, Italian, Swiss, Belgian and Dutch universities. In 1947 he was recognized for his many philosophical and religious writings, and named to the Académie des sciences morales et politiques.

Reviews

[Marcus Goncalves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating exploration of human psyche, weaving self-discovery and introspection, delving into the complexities of #narcissism, offering a reflection on the impact of self-absorption on relationships and personal growth.

[Eduardo Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um livro profundo que quase nos obriga a refletir sobre a nossa participação e presença no Ser. É um livro de filosofia por excelência, muito próximo do que seria uma filosofia da alma, mas também do próprio cosmos. Lavelle descreve de forma magistral o eu, o ser, o mundo e as suas relações connosco, assim como a nossa própria consciência. Escreve de forma sucinta e bela a nossa condição enquanto participantes do ser. Para quem conhece o Olavo de Carvalho verá a influência que o Lavelle teve nele.

[Procyon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Dilemma of Narcissus seems profound, and parts of it certainly are rather profound, but I found most of it too vague and obscure to be of much value to me, and I often felt what was hiding behind the jungle of words was nothing but empty statements and truisms. Trying to decipher it by reading the same passages over and over again seemed pointless in the end. Narcissus is wordy, convoluted and obfuscating to the point where you want to tear your own hair out. On page 163 I found the following:

"I begin to awaken another's interest only when he feels that I am entirely disinterested, and even, one might say, indifferent as to whether I convince him or not. He has the best chance of succeeding who withdraws farthest into the depths of his own essence, unconcerned as to whether others are watching, or understanding what he says."

If you write a book, or with communication in general, I'd say making yourself understood is rather essential. Being disinterested and unconcerned about whether you make yourself understood is more a recipe for exasperation than something that will generate curiosity. It's possible clarity has been lost in translation, but, to any English readers out there, I do no recommend this book.

[Joaquim Ferreira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma pequena grande obra.
O autor, relativamente desconhecido, faz uma abordagem ao mito de Narciso muito interessante. Este livro é composto por excelentes reflexões sobre a alma, o ser, o parecer, a pureza, a beleza...
Enfim... Excelente livro para quem gosta de pensar a alma humana. O ser humano.

[Sara Úlima Ferreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

É uma leitura densa, complexa e cheia de nuances.. Merece um aprofundamento maior em sua leitura. Reescalado para releitura no ano que vem! Porém Narciso sempre irá me encantar e ensinar algo. E isso não é sobre a beleza.

[Aviral Dhamija · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautifully written

[Almir · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

[Marbacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chaque page est un délice. Une écriture qui va à l'essentiel et qui emmène loin, haut et profond.