He distinguishes between "lived time" and "negative eternity"—a sterile zone where time feels out of reach, leaving the individual in a state of "asphyxia of becoming".
As of 2025, legitimate new copies are virtually non-existent. Used copies on sites like AbeBooks or eBay often command prices between , depending on condition. This scarcity has pushed the book into the realm of "cult classic" and has made it a holy grail for Cioran completists.
Let’s assume you acquire the PDF. You open it. After three pages, you feel a crushing desire to lie on the floor and never move again. Is this normal? Yes. Cioran is addictive and dangerous.