--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Existentialism is about being a saint…" description: "\"Existentialism is about being a saint without God; being your own hero, without all the sanction and support of religion or society.\" — Anita Brookner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/anita-brookner-8550_existentialism_existentialism-is-about-being-a-saint-wi_2928589.jpg" --- # Existentialism is about being a saint without God; being… ![“Existentialism is about being a saint without God; being your own hero, without all the sanction and support of religion or society.” quote by Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/anita-brookner-8550_existentialism_existentialism-is-about-being-a-saint-wi_2928589.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/anita-brookner-8550_existentialism_existentialism-is-about-being-a-saint-wi_2928589.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/anita-brookner-8550_existentialism_existentialism-is-about-being-a-saint-wi_2928589.jpg) > “Existentialism is about being a saint without God; being your own hero, without all the sanction and support of religion or society.” [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Existentialism asserts personal moral agency without divine or societal authority, urging self‑definition. **In simple terms:** Being moral without God or society. Key Takeaway Create your own values. Themes existentialism individualism morality Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative work - ethical decision making - spiritual doubt Key Concepts autonomy heroism secular ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you define right without external guidance? - What supports sustain personal heroism? A Different Perspective May overlook communal responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Existentialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existentialism/) [Existentialism Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existentialism-saint-4304809/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-hero-743937/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Saint God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint-god-2818086/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Without god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-god/) ## Related quotes > [Not that I want to be a god or a hero. Just to change into a tree, grow for ages, not hurt anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/not-that-i-want-to-be-a-god-or-a-hero-just-to-change-into-a-tree-grow/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [The kids look at me, 'Ah, you're my hero.' I want to teach those kids. 'Hey listen, God is my hero. He died on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pujols/the-kids-look-at-me-ah-you-re-my-hero-i-want-to-teach-those-kids-hey/) [Albert Pujols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pujols/) > [God is a hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacie-orrico/god-is-a-hero/) [Stacie Orrico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacie-orrico/) > [“It is the duty of a Saint of God to gain all the influence he can on this earth, and to use every particle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/it-is-the-duty-of-a-saint-of-god-to-gain-all-the-influence-he-can-on/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [The one true mark of a saint of God is the inner creativity that flows from being totally surrendered to Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-one-true-mark-of-a-saint-of-god-is-the-inner-creativity-that/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Can one be a saint if God does not exist? That is the only concrete problem I know of today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist-that-is-the-only-concrete/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“How do I recognize a real saint? Whom I shall see within me whether it is in dreams or trances or meditations, He will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jibankrishna/how-do-i-recognize-a-real-saint-whom-i-shall-see-within-me-whether-it/) [Jibankrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jibankrishna/) > [There will be no sickness for the saint of God. ... If your body belongs to God, it does not and cannot belong to sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/there-will-be-no-sickness-for-the-saint-of-god-if-your-body-belongs/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [The loadstar of a saint is God Himself, not estimated usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that count, not what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-loadstar-of-a-saint-is-god-himself-not-estimated-usefulness-it-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Once we are a creation, how much absurdity can there be in our heart without God the Creator.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/once-we-are-a-creation-how-much-absurdity-can-there-be-in-our-heart/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [In the end, the art of hunger can be described as an existential art. It is a way of looking death in the face,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/in-the-end-the-art-of-hunger-can-be-described-as-an-existential-art/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [“Today, suddenly, I reached an absurd but unerring conclusion. In a moment of enlightenment, I realized that I'm nobody, absolutely nobody. When the lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/today-suddenly-i-reached-an-absurd-but-unerring-conclusion-in-a/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Imagine the world without God !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chizim/imagine-the-world-without-god/) [Chizim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chizim/) > [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Hell is only loneliness, a place without play for the soul, a place without God. How could there be God in loneliness when God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/hell-is-only-loneliness-a-place-without-play-for-the-soul-a-place/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) ## More by Anita Brookner > [If I were happy, married with six children, I wouldn't be writing. And I doubt if I should want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/if-i-were-happy-married-with-six-children-i-wouldn-t-be-writing-and-i/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [You have no idea how promising the world begins to look once you have decided to have it all for yourself. And how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/you-have-no-idea-how-promising-the-world-begins-to-look-once-you-have/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [I never learnt Hebrew because my health was fragile, and it was thought that learning Hebrew would be an added burden. I regret it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/i-never-learnt-hebrew-because-my-health-was-fragile-and-it-was/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [You can never betray the people who are dead, so you go on being a public Jew; the dead can't answer slurs, but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/you-can-never-betray-the-people-who-are-dead-so-you-go-on-being-a/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [The essence of romantic love is that wonderful beginning, after which sadness and impossibility may become the rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/the-essence-of-romantic-love-is-that-wonderful-beginning-after-which/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [I need noise and interruptions and irritation: irritation and discomfort are a great starter. The loneliness of doing it any other way would kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/i-need-noise-and-interruptions-and-irritation-irritation-and/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [I am not a romantic. I am a domestic animal. I do not sigh and yearn for extravagant displays of passion, for the grand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/i-am-not-a-romantic-i-am-a-domestic-animal-i-do-not-sigh-and-yearn/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [A man of such obvious and exemplary charm must be a liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/a-man-of-such-obvious-and-exemplary-charm-must-be-a-liar/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [“It seemed to me that I, rather than he, had brought this about, and my despair was extreme. For now that I knew that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/it-seemed-to-me-that-i-rather-than-he-had-brought-this-about-and-my/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [Always let them think of you as singing and dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/always-let-them-think-of-you-as-singing-and-dancing/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [I was brought up to look after my parents. My family were Polish Jews, and we lived with my grandmother, with uncles and aunts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/i-was-brought-up-to-look-after-my-parents-my-family-were-polish-jews/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [“We shall none of us ever make love again, she thought, and did not much care. Life had not been too harsh; the sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/we-shall-none-of-us-ever-make-love-again-she-thought-and-did-not-much/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [I'm a middle-class, middle-brow novelist. And that's it. It amuses me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/i-m-a-middle-class-middle-brow-novelist-and-that-s-it-it-amuses-me/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [Good women always think it is their fault when someone else is being offensive. Bad women never take the blame for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/good-women-always-think-it-is-their-fault-when-someone-else-is-being/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [There are moments when you feel free, moments when you have energy, moments when you have hope, but you can't rely on any of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/there-are-moments-when-you-feel-free-moments-when-you-have-energy/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) [Explore all 77 Anita Brookner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) ## More Existentialism quotes > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [“The mission is, not to replace old world mindlessness with new world mindlessness, but to put an end to all forms of brainless authoritarianism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-mission-is-not-to-replace-old-world-mindlessness-with-new-world/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [No shepherd and one herd! Everybody wants the same, everybody is the same: whoever feels different goes voluntarily into a madhouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/no-shepherd-and-one-herd-everybody-wants-the-same-everybody-is-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [If critics and fanboys weren't suckers for simplistic nihilism and high-pressure marketing, Afterlife would be universally acclaimed as a visionary feat, superior to Inception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armond-white/if-critics-and-fanboys-weren-t-suckers-for-simplistic-nihilism-and/) [Armond White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armond-white/) > [“People may have to die, but morbidity will live forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/people-may-have-to-die-but-morbidity-will-live-forever/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [“There are no greater or truer lords, gods, fathers, sons or holy spirits, than the humans. Humans are the highest beings on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-are-no-greater-or-truer-lords-gods-fathers-sons-or-holy-spirits/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“To seek out the upright. No fall but preceded by a declination. He took great marching steps into the nothingness, counting them against his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/to-seek-out-the-upright-no-fall-but-preceded-by-a-declination-he-took/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [What are we doing here, that is the question. And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-are-we-doing-here-that-is-the-question-and-we-are-blessed-in/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“If we are unable to tolerate ourselves when we are alone, how can we expect anyone else to be enriched by our company? Before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-corey/if-we-are-unable-to-tolerate-ourselves-when-we-are-alone-how-can-we/) [Gerald Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-corey/) > [Desire is this absurdity that holds open the infinity of possibility. 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