Communication Quote by Deszö Kosztolányi
““He sat there among them, listened to the buzz of their conversation. He was captivated by them. In that racket every voice touched a key in his soul. He didn’t understand life. He had no conception of why he had been born into the world. As he saw it, anyone to whose lot fell this adventure, the purpose of which was unknown but the end of which was annihilation, that person was absolved from all responsibility and had the right to do as he pleased—for example, to lie full length in the street and begin to moan without any reason—without deserving the slightest censure. But precisely because he considered his life as a whole an incomprehensible thing, he understood its little details individually—every person without exception, every elevated and lowly point of view, every concept—and those he assimilated at once.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Man with the Golden Touch, 1935
He perceives life as an incomprehensible whole yet finds meaning in its individual moments and people, leading to a detached, almost nihilistic freedom to act without moral restraint.
In simple terms: He sees life as mysterious but values each small detail.
Key Takeaway
Embrace details, question purpose.
Themes
existentialism
detachment
meaning
individuality
Mood
thoughtful
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- literary analysis
- philosophical discourse
- creative writing
- psychological study
Key Concepts
nihilism
subjective reality
human experience
Questions to Reflect On
- What small moments give your life meaning?
- How does recognizing detail affect your sense of purpose?
A Different Perspective
Such a view may excuse harmful behavior under the guise of freedom.
