--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who are you? Where does the world come…" description: "\"“Who are you? Where does the world come from? What annoying questions! And anyway where did the letters come from? That was just as mysterious, almost...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/jostein-gaarder-676_mysterious_who-are-you-where-does-the-world-come-fr_252625.jpg" --- # Who are you? Where does the world come from? What annoying… ![“Who are you? Where does the world come from? What annoying questions! And anyway where did the letters come from? That was just as mysterious, almost.” quote by Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/jostein-gaarder-676_mysterious_who-are-you-where-does-the-world-come-fr_252625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/jostein-gaarder-676_mysterious_who-are-you-where-does-the-world-come-fr_252625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/jostein-gaarder-676_mysterious_who-are-you-where-does-the-world-come-fr_252625.jpg) > ““Who are you? Where does the world come from? What annoying questions! And anyway where did the letters come from? That was just as mysterious, almost.”” [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote playfully highlights humanity’s endless curiosity about existence and origins, suggesting that even trivial mysteries can feel profound. **In simple terms:** We constantly wonder about life’s big and small mysteries. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity, even about the mundane. Themes philosophy existentialism humor Mood playful contemplative Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - personal reflection - education - creative writing Key Concepts metacognition wonder meaning of life Questions to Reflect On - What simple mystery sparks your imagination? - How does humor affect your view of big questions? A Different Perspective Curiosity can distract from practical concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) ## Related quotes > [“Let us consider letters - how they come at breakfast, and at night, with their yellow stamps and their green stamps, immortalized by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/let-us-consider-letters-how-they-come-at-breakfast-and-at-night-with/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The art of letters will come to an end before A.D. 2000. I shall survive as a curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/the-art-of-letters-will-come-to-an-end-before-a-d-2000-i-shall/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [The worst letters come from retired high school English teachers. They will literally take a book and pick it to pieces and send me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/the-worst-letters-come-from-retired-high-school-english-teachers-they/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [You gotta ask 'why' questions. 'Why did you do this?' A 'why' question you can't answer with one word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-king/you-gotta-ask-why-questions-why-did-you-do-this-a-why-question-you/) [Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-king/) > [“I was asked a series of questions. What did you see? Why are there no files in the video archives? How did the assassin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-alexi-genao/i-was-asked-a-series-of-questions-what-did-you-see-why-are-there-no/) [Julio-Alexi Genao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-alexi-genao/) > [My questions did surprise some people. Others didn't bat an eye. That happens with all my books - I'll read them in a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-keller/my-questions-did-surprise-some-people-others-didn-t-bat-an-eye-that/) Laurie Keller > [The lyrics are a lot about those big questions: why are we here, how did we get here, what's the point, and what's next.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-joseph/the-lyrics-are-a-lot-about-those-big-questions-why-are-we-here-how/) [Tyler Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-joseph/) > [Under Colonel Korn's rule, the only people permitted to ask questions were those who never did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/under-colonel-korn-s-rule-the-only-people-permitted-to-ask-questions/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [I wondered if the fire had been out to get me. I wondered if all fire was related, like Dad said all humans were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/i-wondered-if-the-fire-had-been-out-to-get-me-i-wondered-if-all-fire/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The Sharks step right on each other's questions, and if I ever did that in Silicon Valley, I would be considered a pariah. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/the-sharks-step-right-on-each-other-s-questions-and-if-i-ever-did/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [We humans have always looked to the sky as a sounding board for asking big questions about ourselves: Who are we? Where did we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-paglen/we-humans-have-always-looked-to-the-sky-as-a-sounding-board-for/) [Trevor Paglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-paglen/) > [“Today we have badminton set up, as well as a hike around the grounds, and trivia questions in the evening. Any questions?" "When did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-van-dyken/today-we-have-badminton-set-up-as-well-as-a-hike-around-the-grounds/) [Rachel Van Dyken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-van-dyken/) > [At the end of your journey there are only two important questions: who did you love, and who loved you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minassian/at-the-end-of-your-journey-there-are-only-two-important-questions-who/) Minassian > [That's my life in there. It would never be possible today to ask as many questions as I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/that-s-my-life-in-there-it-would-never-be-possible-today-to-ask-as/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [“Consider these questions: Did Jesus ever suggest by word of example that we should aspire to acquire, let alone take over, the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/consider-these-questions-did-jesus-ever-suggest-by-word-of-example/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) ## More by Jostein Gaarder > [“I no longer feel the need to see and sense more than I've already experienced. I just want so desperately to hang on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/i-no-longer-feel-the-need-to-see-and-sense-more-than-i-ve-already/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [The most subversive people are those who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-most-subversive-people-are-those-who-ask-questions/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [The sophists were as a rule men who had traveled widely and seen different forms of government. Both conventions and local laws in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-sophists-were-as-a-rule-men-who-had-traveled-widely-and-seen/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [Where did the world come from? The question has an answer, even though I cannot get to it. It is a good question. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/where-did-the-world-come-from-the-question-has-an-answer-even-though/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“As soon as she concentrated on being alive now, the thought of dying also came into her mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/as-soon-as-she-concentrated-on-being-alive-now-the-thought-of-dying/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Po haljini sam mogao da vidim kako njeno telo diše, jer se haljina dizala i spuštala, dizala i spuštala, skoro kao da morski talasi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/po-haljini-sam-mogao-da-vidim-kako-njeno-telo-di-e-jer-se-haljina/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [Since the Renaissance, people have had to get used to living their life on a random planet in the vast galaxy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/since-the-renaissance-people-have-had-to-get-used-to-living-their/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“without imagination, nothing really new will ever be created.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/without-imagination-nothing-really-new-will-ever-be-created/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“The German poet Goethe once said that "he who cannot draw on three thousand years is living from hand to mouth." I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-german-poet-goethe-once-said-that-he-who-cannot-draw-on-three/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Sophie left the den and wandered about in the large garden. She tried to forget what she had learned at school, especially in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/sophie-left-the-den-and-wandered-about-in-the-large-garden-she-tried/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [...long before the child learns to talk properly-and long before it learns to think philosophically-the world will have become a habit. A pity, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/long-before-the-child-learns-to-talk-properly-and-long-before-it/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“any one question can be more explosive than a thousand answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/any-one-question-can-be-more-explosive-than-a-thousand-answers/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“We can't own each other's past. The question is whether we have a future together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/we-can-t-own-each-other-s-past-the-question-is-whether-we-have-a/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Uno no muere en medio del quinto acto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/uno-no-muere-en-medio-del-quinto-acto/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Wer das Schicksal durchschauen will, muss es überleben.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/wer-das-schicksal-durchschauen-will-muss-es-berleben/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) [Explore all 305 Jostein Gaarder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) ## More Mysterious quotes > [The creator of the universe works in mysterious ways. But he uses a base ten counting system and likes round numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-creator-of-the-universe-works-in-mysterious-ways-but-he-uses-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [I've come to believe that whoever I am didn't start on December 14, 1946, and isn't going to end on whatever that mysterious date…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-ve-come-to-believe-that-whoever-i-am-didn-t-start-on-december-14/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [In recent years my understanding of God had evolved into increasingly remote abstractions. I'd come to think of God in terms like Divine Reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/in-recent-years-my-understanding-of-god-had-evolved-into-increasingly/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I find the family the most mysterious and fascinating institution in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-find-the-family-the-most-mysterious-and-fascinating-institution-in/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Translation is entirely mysterious. Increasingly I have felt that the art of writing is itself translating, or more like translating than it is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/translation-is-entirely-mysterious-increasingly-i-have-felt-that-the/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“And when I’d settled down, I considered the possibility that I wasn’t yet ready to ask for the love of anyone because I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-decker/and-when-i-d-settled-down-i-considered-the-possibility-that-i-wasn-t/) [Steven Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-decker/) > [Talking to other people about a part is not helpful for me. It's such an internal and complicated and still kind of mysterious process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-affleck/talking-to-other-people-about-a-part-is-not-helpful-for-me-it-s-such/) [Casey Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-affleck/) > [A blue eye is a true eye; Mysterious is a dark one, Which flashes like a spark sun! A black eye is the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rounseville-alger/a-blue-eye-is-a-true-eye-mysterious-is-a-dark-one-which-flashes-like/) [William Rounseville Alger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rounseville-alger/) > [Songwriting is such a mysterious thing. Its a magical channel thats a gift to you and you cant really conjure it up when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-campbell/songwriting-is-such-a-mysterious-thing-its-a-magical-channel-thats-a/) [Mike Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-campbell/) > [War is thus divine in itself, since it is a law of the world. War is divine through its consequences of a supernatural nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/war-is-thus-divine-in-itself-since-it-is-a-law-of-the-world-war-is/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [I just like guys who have an edge to them. But it could go either way. Like, I have been into the surfer blond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-tisdale/i-just-like-guys-who-have-an-edge-to-them-but-it-could-go-either-way/) [Ashley Tisdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-tisdale/) [Browse all 1,858 Mysterious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Who are you? Where does the world come from? What annoying questions! And anyway where did the letters come from? 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