Faith is the highest passion in a human being. Many in every generation may not come that far, but none comes further.
Soren KierkegaardRead
It belongs to the imperfection of everything human that man can only attain his desire by passing through its opposite.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human desires often require experiencing hardship or opposition to be fully appreciated.
This quote by Soren Kierkegaard explores the idea that the imperfections inherent in the human experience mean that we often must confront struggles or opposites in order to achieve our desires. It reflects a deeper philosophical truth about the nature of existence, suggesting that without understanding or experiencing what we do not want, we cannot truly grasp or value what we seek.
Themes
DesireOppositeImperfectionHuman ExperiencePhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about personal growth and resilience.
More from Soren Kierkegaard
All quotes →Men think that it is impossible for a human being to love his enemies, for enemies are hardly able to endure the sight of one another. Well, then, shut your eyes--and your enemy looks just like your neighbor.
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How did I get into the world? Why was I not asked about it and why was I not informed of the rules and regulations but just thrust into the ranks as if I had been bought by a peddling shanghaier of human beings? How did I get involved in this big enterprise called actuality? Why should I be involved? Isn't it a matter of choice? And if I am compelled to be involved, where is the manager—I have something to say about this. Is there no manager? To whom shall I make my complaint?
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A possibility is a hint from God. One must follow it.
Soren KierkegaardRead
And when the hourglass has run out, the hourglass of temporality, when the noise of secular life has grown silent and its restless or ineffectual activism has come to an end, when everything around you is still, as it is in eternity, then eternity asks you and every individual in these millions and millions about only one thing: whether you have lived in despair or not.
Soren KierkegaardRead
I am so stupid that I cannot understand philosophy; the antithesis of this is that philosophy is so clever that it cannot comprehend my stupidity. These antitheses are mediated in a higher unity; in our common stupidity.
Soren KierkegaardRead
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