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Though I am certainly no Emil Cioran scholar, I can write about him from the point of view of having been impacted by him. Would-be Cioran enthusiasts beware, for his influence is not necessarily a bright one; after all, his ideas belong to a school of thought known as philosophical pessimism. Though I am sure he would hate it, I am going to attempt to extract some positivity from his writings.
I am focused much more on the past than the future. What makes Cioran’s material absolutely vital is that it helps explain our history — in the most downtrodden, miserable way — and how the modern era came to be. Only after arming oneself with this knowledge and viewpoint can the man of thought properly shape his outlook on the future. It can be negative, as Cioran’s certainly...