Ṛta

“For the rest of the earth’s organisms, existence is relatively uncomplicated. Their lives are about three things: survival, reproduction, death—and nothing else. But we know too much to content ourselves with surviving, reproducing, dying—and nothing else. We know we are alive and know we will die. We also know we will suffer during our lives before suffering—slowly or quickly—as we draw near to death. This is the knowledge we “enjoy” as the most intelligent organisms to gush from the womb of nature. And being so, we feel shortchanged if there is nothing else for us than to survive, reproduce, and die. We want there to be more to it than that, or to think there is. This is the tragedy: Consciousness has forced us into the paradoxical position of striving to be unself-conscious of what we are—hunks of spoiling flesh on disintegrating bones.”
― Thomas Ligotti, The Conspiracy Against the Human Race

“I cannot forget the follies and vices of others so soon as I ought, nor their offences against myself...My good opinion once lost is lost forever. - Fitzwilliam Darcy”
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

“The problem with a person with a lack of love is that they don't know what it looks like. So it's easy for them to get tricked, to see things that aren't there. But then I guess we all lie to ourselves all the time.”
― Charles Forsman, The End of the Fucking World

“I wanted to do things to Richard that would make the sun grow cold with horror.”
― Thomas Ligotti, My Work is Not Yet Done: Three Tales of Corporate Horror