--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dr. Syngmann: I am talking about the only…" description: "\"“Dr. Syngmann: I am talking about the only quality that was worth creating the world for, the only power that is worth controlling. Pastor Jón: Úa? Dr...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/halld-r-laxness-6935_long-time_dr-syngmann-i-am-talking-about-the-only_1809990.jpg" --- # Dr. Syngmann: I am talking about the only quality that was… ![“Dr. Syngmann: I am talking about the only quality that was worth creating the world for, the only power that is worth controlling. Pastor Jón: Úa? Dr. Syngmann in a tired, gravelly bass: I hear you mention once more that name which is no name. I know you blame me; I blame myself. Úa was simply Úa…” quote by Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/halld-r-laxness-6935_long-time_dr-syngmann-i-am-talking-about-the-only_1809990.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/halld-r-laxness-6935_long-time_dr-syngmann-i-am-talking-about-the-only_1809990.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/halld-r-laxness-6935_long-time_dr-syngmann-i-am-talking-about-the-only_1809990.jpg) > ““Dr. Syngmann: I am talking about the only quality that was worth creating the world for, the only power that is worth controlling. Pastor Jón: Úa? Dr. Syngmann in a tired, gravelly bass: I hear you mention once more that name which is no name. I know you blame me; I blame myself. Úa was simply Úa. There was nothing I could do about it. I know you have never recovered from it, John. Neither have I. Pastor Jón: That word could mean everything and nothing, and when it ceased to sound, it was as if all other words had lost their meaning. But it did not matter. It gradually came back. Dr. Syngmann: Gradually came back? What did? Pastor Jón: Some years ago, a horse was swept over the falls to Goðafoss. He was washed ashore, alive, onto the rocks below. The beast stood there motionless, hanging his head, for more than twenty-four hours below this awful cascade of water that had swept him down. Perhaps he was trying to remember what life was called. Or he was wondering why the world had been created. He showed no signs of ever wanting to graze again. In the end, however, he heaved himself onto the riverbank and started to nibble. Dr. Syngmann: Only one thing matters, John: do you accept it? Pastor Jón: The flower of the field is with me, as the psalmist said. It isn't mine, to be sure, but it lives here; during the winter it lives in my mind until it resurrects again. Dr. Syngmann: I don't accept it, John! There are limits to the Creator's importunacy. I refuse to carry this universe on my back any longer, as if it were my fault that it exists. Pastor Jón: Quite so. On the other hand, I am like that horse that was dumbfounded for twenty-four hours. For a long time I thought I could never endure having survived. Then I went back to the pasture.”” [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The dialogue explores existential despair, the search for meaning, and the struggle to accept life's burdens. **In simple terms:** It reflects on meaning, suffering, and acceptance. Key Takeaway Seek purpose despite hardship. Themes existential suffering acceptance meaning resilience Mood melancholic reflective Type narrative philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - grief - recovery - spiritual reflection Key Concepts philosophical inquiry human condition spiritual longing Questions to Reflect On - What gives life meaning? - Can suffering be transformed? A Different Perspective Acceptance may be impossible for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Now pastor Jón Prímus laughed. Philosophy and theology have no effect on him, much less plain common sense. Impossible to convince this man by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/now-pastor-j-n-pr-mus-laughed-philosophy-and-theology-have-no-effect/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Pastor Jón: God has the virtue that one can locate Him anywhere at all, in anything at all. Embi: In a nail, for instance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/pastor-j-n-god-has-the-virtue-that-one-can-locate-him-anywhere-at-all/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Embi: And you're supposed to be so good at mending primuses, pastor Jón! Pastor Jón: And correspondingly bad at Baroque art. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-a-lewis/) > [I have been famous for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-have-been-famous-for-a-long-time/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) Browse all 9,064 Long time quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Dr. Syngmann: I am talking about the only quality that was worth creating the world for, the only power that is worth controlling. Pastor Jón: Úa? Dr. Syngmann in a tired, gravelly bass: I hear you mention once more that name which is no name. I know you blame me; I blame myself. Úa was simply Úa. There was nothing I could do about it. I know you have never recovered from it, John. Neither have I. Pastor Jón: That word could mean everything and nothing, and when it ceased to sound, it was as if all other words had lost their meaning. But it did not matter. It gradually came back. Dr. Syngmann: Gradually came back? What did? Pastor Jón: Some years ago, a horse was swept over the falls to Goðafoss. He was washed ashore, alive, onto the rocks below. The beast stood there motionless, hanging his head, for more than twenty-four hours below this awful cascade of water that had swept him down. Perhaps he was trying to remember what life was called. Or he was wondering why the world had been created. He showed no signs of ever wanting to graze again. In the end, however, he heaved himself onto the riverbank and started to nibble. Dr. Syngmann: Only one thing matters, John: do you accept it? Pastor Jón: The flower of the field is with me, as the psalmist said. It isn't mine, to be sure, but it lives here; during the winter it lives in my mind until it resurrects again. Dr. Syngmann: I don't accept it, John! There are limits to the Creator's importunacy. I refuse to carry this universe on my back any longer, as if it were my fault that it exists. Pastor Jón: Quite so. On the other hand, I am like that horse that was dumbfounded for twenty-four hours. For a long time I thought I could never endure having survived. 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