James Baldwin — "I can't be a pessimist because I'm alive. To be a pessimist means that you have …"
I can't be a pessimist because I'm alive. To be a pessimist means that you have agreed that human life is an academic matter.
Get This Quote & Author's Image Illustrated On:
Click any product to generate a realistic preview. Up to 3 at a time.
* Initial load can take up to 90 seconds — revising the preview in another color is nearly instant.
Kitchen
Apparel
Other
More from James Baldwin
"I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain."
"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up."
"When you're trying to destroy a human being, it's very important to tell him that he's a nigger."
"One of the things that I think makes me a good writer is that I'm a good listener."
"I don't know what most white people in this country feel. I can only speak for myself, and I can say that I have loved very few white people in my life."
Details
A frequently quoted statement from interviews, emphasizing his commitment to life and struggle despite the bleak realities he often described, a personal justification for hope and engagement.
Date: Approx. 1960s-1980s
WisdomVerification
Unverifiable
Found in 1 providers: gemini
1 source checked