either/or, n.Definitions

Either/Or (n.) is, ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in common speech, like a magistrate in plain clothes mingling with the crowd; on grave occasions it steps forward in its official robes.

Either/Or (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be meant literally: perdition and sensuality, or the cloister, with none of the comfortable middle way where most people live.

Either/Or (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a book with no ending: when it is read, the authors are forgotten and only their views confront one another, awaiting no finite decision.

Either/Or (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the treasure buried in one's own inner self, which makes a man greater than the angels — not to be thanked for, lest you owe everything to another.

Either/Or (n.) vanishes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠for one who thinks that where God is one of the choices there are still three things to choose among; with the idea of God, the either/or is lost.

Either/Or (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠two words which, spoken absolutely, act like an incantation that starts the most dreadful contrasts into motion — and which a dissolute soul lacks the energy to say with pathos.

Either/Or (n.) depends ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠on closeness: lovers so near that neither can hold to another without despising the beloved live under it, and God, closer than any lover, imposes it absolutely.

Either/Or (n.) is, ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in the deepest sense, the only one: either God, and the other term is indifferent; whoever does not choose God has missed the either/or.