I Prefer the Errors of Enthusiasm to the Indifference of Wisdom – Anatole France
Created at: May 2, 2025
I prefer the errors of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom. — Anatole France
Embracing Passionate Engagement
France extols energetic involvement over detached wisdom, suggesting that active participation in life—though it may lead to mistakes—is preferable to a cold, impartial existence. This philosophy resonates with the spirit of the Romantic poets like William Blake, who claimed, 'The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom' in *The Marriage of Heaven and Hell* (1790), advocating for intense experience as a route to personal growth.
Critique of Detachment
The aphorism critiques the traditional image of wise figures as disinterested and emotionally distant. In Voltaire's *Candide* (1759), the wise Pangloss's indifference is juxtaposed against Candide's passionate, if misguided, actions, highlighting the limitations of detached wisdom in addressing life's complexities.
Value of Making Mistakes
By valuing 'errors,' France reframes mistakes as vital for learning and progress. Thomas Edison's famous quip, 'I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work,' illustrates how enthusiasm—even when it leads to mistakes—drives innovation and discovery.
Danger of Apathy
Indifference, even when born from wisdom, can lead to stagnation or moral disengagement. Elie Wiesel, in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech (1986), warned, 'The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference,' underscoring how apathy allows injustice and suffering to persist.
Historical and Cultural Context
Anatole France, writing in late 19th-century France, observed the tension between rationalism and the burgeoning enthusiasm of social reformers and artists. The quote reflects the era’s debate over whether to act boldly—risking error—or to remain safely uninvolved, reminiscent of the passionate activism seen during the Dreyfus Affair, in which France himself was an involved literary critic.