Laughable Loves

“Suppose you meet a madman who claims he is a fish and that we are all fish. Are you going to argue with him? Are you going to undress in front of him to show him you have no fins? Are you going to tell him to his face what you think?” His brother remained silent, and Édouard continued: “If you only told him the truth, what you really think of him, that would mean you agree to have a serious discussion with a madman and that you yourself are mad. It’s exactly the same with the world around us. If you insisted on telling it the truth to its face, that would mean you take it seriously. And to take something so unserious seriously is to lose all seriousness yourself. I have to lie not to take madmen seriously and not to become mad myself.”