#7

from Sartre, The Psychology of Imagination (L'Imaginaire, 1940):

"Hypnogogic phenomena are not 'contemplated by consciousness': they are of consciousness. Now, consciousness cannot be an automaton: at the utmost it can ape an automatism, associate itself with automatic forms; that is the case here. But in that case, we must speak of a kind of bondage. This inattentive consciousness is not distracted: it is fascinated." (62)

"What is lacking [in the case of the hynogogic image] is precisely a contemplative power of consciousness, a certain way of keeping oneself at a distance from one's images, from one's own thoughts and so [consciousness permits] them their own logical development, instead of depositing upon them all of one's own weight, of throwing oneself into the balance, of being judge and accused, of using one's own power of synthesis to make a synthesis of whatever sort with no matter what." (63)

on fatalism: "Fatalism posits that such an event should happen and that it is this coming event that determines the series that is to lead up to it. It is not determinism but fatalism which is the converse of freedom. It might even be said that fatalism, incomprehensible in the physical world, is perfectly in its place in the realm of consciousness. [...] In captive consciousness, in fact, it is the representation of the possible that is lacking, that is, the faculty of suspended judgment. But all thought captures and enchains consciousness -- and consciousness toys with it and completes it at the same time that it thinks it. Had that sudden noise failed to arouse me, my interpretation of 'eagle' would have matured into the form 'I see an eagle.' It becomes a certainty when taken for a finished act of consciousness." (67)

Cf. Alain, Mars ou la Guerre Jugée

strength in resisting delusion / weakness in sucumbing to fascination