Bernard Werber Quotes & Sayings

You know people. Most of them don't hear anything. Those who hear - don't listen. A few who listen - don't understand. And those who could understand ... they don't care. — Bernard Werber

Ants can live together in solidarity and forget themselves in the community. In a normative capitalist society, everyone is an egoist. In the ants' civilization, you are part of the group; you don't live for yourself alone. — Bernard Werber

Can we ever really know anyone well? Let's just say we often found ourselves in each other's company and neither of us minded. — Bernard Werber

We of the modern age are a bridge between the old human and the new one. We still have the mentality of the old human - a slave mentality, like the Children of Israel in Egypt: too controlled, full of fear. — Bernard Werber

Science fiction is my way of pushing the imagination onward. It's a way to understand how the world will look in the future. — Bernard Werber

He felt useless and degraded, as if he no longer lived for others but for himself alone. — Bernard Werber

At the moment of death, the soul's impressions are similar to those of initiates in the ways of the Great Mysteries.
First they rush along blindly, twisting and turning, on an endless, anxious journey through the shadows.
Then, just before the end, their fear reaches its height. Bathed in cold sweat, they shiver and tremble, utterly terrified.
This phase is almost immediately followed by a return to the light, a sudden illumination.
They are surrounded by a marvelous glow and move through pure places and meadows ringing with voices and dancing.
Sacred words inspire religious respect. The perfect initiate is free to celebrate the Mysteries. — Bernard Werber

I have seen human beings who have forged "intellectual" armor to shield themselves from adversity. They seemed stronger than most. They said, "I couldn't care less," and laughed at everything, but when adversity managed to pierce their armor, it caused terrible damage.
I have seen human beings suffer from the slightest adversity, the slightest annoyance, but still remain open-minded and sensitive to everything, learning something from each attack. — Bernard Werber

There were some things it was better not to know. They caused "metaphysical" anguish, for which there was as yet no remedy. When it was worried, the Tribe was inhibited and unable to act.
It was very bad for everyone. The Tribe started to produce toxins that poisoned it. Its long-term survival was more important than short-term knowledge of the truth. If an eye had seen something that the brain knew was dangerous for the rest of the organism, it was better for the brain to put out that eye. — Bernard Werber

OLD MAN: In Africa, people are sadder about the death of an old man than about that of a newborn baby. The old man represented a wealth of experience that might have benefited the tribe, whereas the newborn baby had not lived and could not even be aware of dying. In Europe, people are sad about the newborn baby because they think he might well have done wonderful things if he had lived. On the other hand, they pay little attention to the death of the old man, who had already lived his life anyway. — Bernard Werber

The best way to renew thought is to go outside the human imagination. — Bernard Werber

Between what I think, what I want to say, what I believe I say, what I say, what you want to hear, what you believe to hear, what you hear, what you want to understand, what you think you understand, what you understand ... They are ten possibilities that we might have some problem communicating. But let's try anyway ... — Bernard Werber

To all the readers,
whom despite
the attraction of tv,
of internet,
of family troubles,
of video games,
of sport,
of night clubs,
have found some hours
so we can all dream together. — Bernard Werber

Judaism is in all my books. — Bernard Werber

Between two brains, there will always be misunderstandings and lies caused by parasitic smells, drafts and poor-quality reception. — Bernard Werber