--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My response, a dubious and hesitant one…" description: "\"My response, a dubious and hesitant one, is that it has been and may continue to be, in the time that is left to me, more productive to live out the qu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_abstract_my-response-a-dubious-and-hesitant-one-i_1673901.jpg" --- # My response, a dubious and hesitant one, is that it has… ![“My response, a dubious and hesitant one, is that it has been and may continue to be, in the time that is left to me, more productive to live out the question than to try to answer it in abstract terms.” quote by J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_abstract_my-response-a-dubious-and-hesitant-one-i_1673901.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_abstract_my-response-a-dubious-and-hesitant-one-i_1673901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/045/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_abstract_my-response-a-dubious-and-hesitant-one-i_1673901.jpg) > “My response, a dubious and hesitant one, is that it has been and may continue to be, in the time that is left to me, more productive to live out the question than to try to answer it in abstract terms.” [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living the question—actively engaging with uncertainty—can be more fruitful than seeking abstract answers. **In simple terms:** Engage with uncertainty rather than over‑analyze it. Key Takeaway Embrace the process of questioning. Themes philosophy existentialism uncertainty Mood thoughtful introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - creative work - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts meaning purpose human experience Questions to Reflect On - What question are you living rather than answering? - How does uncertainty shape your actions? A Different Perspective Abstract answers may feel safe but can stall real progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/) ## Related quotes > [It would have been easier to fight alone with inadequate forces than to have to accept...responsibility for our ally's lack of fighting qualities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-kesselring/it-would-have-been-easier-to-fight-alone-with-inadequate-forces-than/) [Albert Kesselring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-kesselring/) > [The most universal and effectual way of discovering the true meaning of law, when the words are dubious, is by considering the reason and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/the-most-universal-and-effectual-way-of-discovering-the-true-meaning/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [You see, my Lord Archbishop, what is "dubious" about my theology is not that it contradicts particular doctrinal teachings, things are much worse or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugen-drewermann/you-see-my-lord-archbishop-what-is-dubious-about-my-theology-is-not/) [Eugen Drewermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugen-drewermann/) > [Wholeness is sort of a dubious concept. 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