Quotes & anectdotes from
the wise,
the foolish,
the courageous &
the drunk

Soren Kierkegaard Philosopher

  • Gender: Male
  • Citizenship: Denmark
  • Born: May 5, 1813
  • Died: Nov 11, 1855

Søren Aabye Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. He wrote critical texts on organized religion, Christendom, morality, ethics, psychology and philosophy of religion, displaying a fondness for metaphor, irony and parables. Much of his philosophical work deals with the issues of how one lives as a "single individual", giving priority to concrete human reality over abstract thinking, and highlighting the importance of personal choice and commitment. He was a fierce critic of idealist intellectuals and philosophers of his time, such as Swedenborg, Hegel, Goethe, Fichte, Schelling, Schlegel, and Hans Christian Andersen.

His theological work focuses on Christian ethics, the institution of the Church, the differences between purely objective proofs of Christianity, the infinite qualitative distinction between man and God, and the individual's subjective relationship to the God-Man Jesus Christ, which came through faith. Much of his work deals with the art of Christian love.

Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.

Trouble is the common denominator of living. It is the great equalizer.

Faith is the highest passion in a human being. Many in every generation may not come that far, but none comes further.

The highest and most beautiful things in life are not to be heard about, nor read about, nor seen but, if one will, are to be lived.

If I am capable of grasping God objectively, I do not believe, but precisely because I cannot do this I must believe.

The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.

God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say. Yes, to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful: he makes saints out of sinners.

Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards.

I begin with the principle that all men are bores. Surely no one will prove himself so great a bore as to contradict me in this.

Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.

Life has its own hidden forces which you can only discover by living.

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.

Patience is necessary, and one cannot reap immediately where one has sown.

Don't forget to love yourself.

Take away paradox from the thinker and you have a professor.

Love does not alter the beloved, it alters itself.

Personality is only ripe when a man has made the truth his own.

It seems essential, in relationships and all tasks, that we concentrate only on what is most significant and important.

Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts.

Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.

Far from idleness being the root of all evil, it is rather the only true good.

Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.