"Each of us is incomplete compared to someone else - an animal's incomplete compared to a person... and a person compared to God, who is complete only to be imaginary"
- Georges Bataille
About this Quote
Georges Bataille's quote uses an extensive reflection on the nature of existence and the fundamental limitations found within various states of being. At its core, the statement suggests a vital relativity in the completeness of entities when compared to one another, and eventually, the idea of God.
At first, Bataille posits that each private feels a sense of incompleteness when juxtaposed with others. This might be analyzed as a commentary on human consciousness and the perception of self-respect, which is typically determined versus external standards and comparisons. Social, intellectual, and emotional elements of human lives are perpetually assessed versus those of others, leading to a universal experience of insufficiency and pursuing wholeness. This continuous cycle hints at a shared human condition marked by comparison and aspiration, where everyone is viewed as doing not have when placed next to another.
The contrast encompasses the relationship between humans and animals. While people may feel remarkable due to greater cognitive capabilities, animals might be perceived as complete within their own communities and impulses. Here, Bataille introduces an idea of conditional efficiency; animals might be perfect in their natural roles however are incomplete in a human-defined context. This reflects a broader existential concept that efficiency is subjective, and deeply connected to one's viewpoint and social values.
Lastly, Bataille resolves the ultimate contrast in between humans and God. Here, he challenges the concept of divine efficiency, suggesting that God is solely complete through human imagination. This questionable point of view suggests that the idea of a best deity exists as a construct to fill a void in human understanding and completeness. Bataille may be recommending that the principle of God is a reflection of human desire for an unattainable excellence and wholeness, produced because of the intrinsic incompleteness felt by people.
Overall, Bataille's quote invites reflection on the fluidity of "efficiency" and the human propensity to define our worth in relation to others, ultimately concluding that the search for outright wholeness may be a perpetual undertaking fueled by creative constructs.
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