--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that obviously the quest for…" description: "\"I think that obviously the quest for purpose, or meaning, or understanding to existence is something that I always think about, always deal with. I gue..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/conor-oberst-1535_adventure_i-think-that-obviously-the-quest-for-pur_1266759.png" --- # I think that obviously the quest for purpose, or meaning… ![“I think that obviously the quest for purpose, or meaning, or understanding to existence is something that I always think about, always deal with. I guess everybody does - that existential crisis of human condition. It's nothing new. But I'd love to come across something that really made me believe…” quote by Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/conor-oberst-1535_adventure_i-think-that-obviously-the-quest-for-pur_1266759.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/conor-oberst-1535_adventure_i-think-that-obviously-the-quest-for-pur_1266759.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/conor-oberst-1535_adventure_i-think-that-obviously-the-quest-for-pur_1266759.png) > “I think that obviously the quest for purpose, or meaning, or understanding to existence is something that I always think about, always deal with. I guess everybody does - that existential crisis of human condition. It's nothing new. But I'd love to come across something that really made me believe in something.” [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges a persistent existential search for purpose, feeling it is common yet unsatisfying, and hopes to find something truly convincing. **In simple terms:** People often wonder about life's meaning and look for something that truly convinces them. Key Takeaway Keep exploring ideas until you find a belief that resonates. Themes existential purpose search meaning Mood introspective hopeful Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - college years - career decisions - relationship crises - creative projects Key Concepts philosophical inquiry personal growth spiritual yearning Questions to Reflect On - What belief would give you a sense of purpose? - How do you handle existential uncertainty? A Different Perspective The search may lead to endless doubt without concrete answers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-think-4045797/) [Existential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential/) [Existential crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential-crisis/) [Human condition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-condition/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Nothing new](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing-new/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Quests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quests/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Understanding Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding-existence-719181/) ## Related quotes > [Our consciousness, a startling outgrowth of the universe, is possibly its most important part, the fraction of existence that can think, feel, marvel at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/our-consciousness-a-startling-outgrowth-of-the-universe-is-possibly/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [When the movie 'Sliding Doors' came out, it almost sent me into existential crisis because I think about that all the time. Like, 'Wait.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-rothe/when-the-movie-sliding-doors-came-out-it-almost-sent-me-into/) [Jessica Rothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-rothe/) > [I went through this kind of existential crisis. I was going through a breakup; I tore my ACL and my meniscus and had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-went-through-this-kind-of-existential-crisis-i-was-going-through-a/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [Black America surely faces an existential crisis, but not the one imagined in the condescending news media - of somehow getting non-black America to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howard-kunstler/black-america-surely-faces-an-existential-crisis-but-not-the-one/) [James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howard-kunstler/) > [Right after 'Friday Night Lights' ended, I was in sort of an existential crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-plemons/right-after-friday-night-lights-ended-i-was-in-sort-of-an-existential/) [Jesse Plemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-plemons/) > ['Atomic Blonde' is about the characters' bigger existential crisis and their world. It's not so much the conceit of the spy game; it's more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leitch/atomic-blonde-is-about-the-characters-bigger-existential-crisis-and/) [David Leitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leitch/) > [I thought I was having an existential crisis, but it was nothing. Please don't tailgate: body in trunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/i-thought-i-was-having-an-existential-crisis-but-it-was-nothing/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“You could call it “hitting bottom” or “having an existential crisis.” I prefer to call it “weathering the shitstorm.” Choose what suits you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/you-could-call-it-hitting-bottom-or-having-an-existential-crisis-i/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [I don't know any 21-year-old who's not having an existential crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-don-t-know-any-21-year-old-who-s-not-having-an-existential-crisis/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I had an existential crisis at the Oscars, sitting next to Sean Penn and Meryl Streep, and being like, 'What am I doing here?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-adams/i-had-an-existential-crisis-at-the-oscars-sitting-next-to-sean-penn/) [Amy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-adams/) > [We like existentially wacky characters who exist in existential crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-russo/we-like-existentially-wacky-characters-who-exist-in-existential-crisis/) [Joe Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-russo/) > [Error ... is less an intellectual problem than an existential one - a crisis not in what we know, but in who we are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/error-is-less-an-intellectual-problem-than-an-existential-one-a/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [Huge public spending and borrowing in the face of an existential crisis is clearly the right thing to do, as is putting people's health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lucas/huge-public-spending-and-borrowing-in-the-face-of-an-existential/) [Caroline Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lucas/) > [I write very rarely. Only, in fact, when the sheet of paper suffers an existential crisis and threatens, if I don't surrender to it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-dimoula/i-write-very-rarely-only-in-fact-when-the-sheet-of-paper-suffers-an/) [Kiki Dimoula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-dimoula/) > [We have an existential crisis, which is the climate crisis. Canada is one of the laggards in the industrialized world. Our record is terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-may/we-have-an-existential-crisis-which-is-the-climate-crisis-canada-is/) [Elizabeth May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-may/) ## More by Conor Oberst > [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [There's nothing that the road cannot heal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/there-s-nothing-that-the-road-cannot-heal/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I've given up trying to understand what people think about me. It seems like a lot of people don't like the music we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-ve-given-up-trying-to-understand-what-people-think-about-me-it/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [You can't manufacture inspiration, so a lot of it is still a waiting game for me. There's still a lot of mystery to songwriting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/you-can-t-manufacture-inspiration-so-a-lot-of-it-is-still-a-waiting/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Cause I swear that I'm dying, slowly but its happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/cause-i-swear-that-i-m-dying-slowly-but-its-happening/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [In a way, to have whatever people talk about as "crossover success," I think it means you start making bad music. I mean, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/in-a-way-to-have-whatever-people-talk-about-as-crossover-success-i/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Men with purple hearts carry silver guns and they will kill a man for what his father has done. But what my father did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/men-with-purple-hearts-carry-silver-guns-and-they-will-kill-a-man-for/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [There's a major underlying idea as you grow up that you need to just save your money and get that affordable housing at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/there-s-a-major-underlying-idea-as-you-grow-up-that-you-need-to-just/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [To finish a song is the best feeling in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/to-finish-a-song-is-the-best-feeling-in-the-world/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I've been part of running a label since I was a kid, so I understand how it works. But the more and more I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-ve-been-part-of-running-a-label-since-i-was-a-kid-so-i-understand/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I'm ripe for the picking for the Scientologists - one of those creeps. Someone's got to find me. Some little weird cult can just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-m-ripe-for-the-picking-for-the-scientologists-one-of-those-creeps/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [When I run into a person or a kid that comes up and gives me the spiel about, 'Hey, I got your record at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/when-i-run-into-a-person-or-a-kid-that-comes-up-and-gives-me-the/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [My dad, who plays guitar and piano and was in cover bands, along with my older brother, Matt, taught me guitar and stuff. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/my-dad-who-plays-guitar-and-piano-and-was-in-cover-bands-along-with/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I think there's a weird self-affirmation thing that happens in popular music in general. It seems like every song I hear on the radio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-think-there-s-a-weird-self-affirmation-thing-that-happens-in/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) [Explore all 230 Conor Oberst quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) ## More Adventure quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/) [Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/) [Kevin McLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mcleod/) > [“It always gave Wolf a peculiar thrill thus to tighten his grip upon his stick, thus to wrap himself more closely in his faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/it-always-gave-wolf-a-peculiar-thrill-thus-to-tighten-his-grip-upon/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [“It all had to be squeezed and squeezed again, to provide a thrill, to provide enjoyment. What did people mean, with their simply determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/it-all-had-to-be-squeezed-and-squeezed-again-to-provide-a-thrill-to/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [I am not an adventurous person but I am gutsy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-am-not-an-adventurous-person-but-i-am-gutsy/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) [Browse all 7,690 Adventure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that obviously the quest for purpose, or meaning, or understanding to existence is something that I always think about, always deal with. I guess everybody does - that existential crisis of human condition. It's nothing new. 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