Existentialism Quote by Karen Maitland
““Are you finally admitting that you can sell a man hope? Have I at last succeeded in teaching you that?” He laughed and flicked his whip again, harder. He was in a better mood than I had seen for months. “No, Camelot, not hope. Hope is for the weak; have I not succeeded in teaching you that? To hope is to put your faith in others and in things outside yourself; that way lies betrayal and disappointment. They didn't want hope, Camelot; they wanted certainty. What a man needs is the certainty that he is right, no self-doubt, no fleeting thought that he might be wrong or misled. Absolute certainty that he is right—that's what gives a man the confidence and power to do whatever he wants and to take whatever he wants from this world and the next.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Last Apprentice, 2004
The speaker argues that hope is a weakness and that absolute certainty in one's own righteousness empowers a person to act without doubt.
In simple terms: Hope is weak; certainty gives power.
Key Takeaway
Seek self‑confidence through personal certainty.
Themes
power
certainty
confidence
self‑doubt
control
Mood
defiant
intense
serious
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- Leadership decisions
- political rhetoric
- personal ambition
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
Existentialism
psychology
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you value certainty over humility?
- How does hope differ from confidence?
A Different Perspective
Absolute certainty can lead to arrogance and ignore valuable feedback.
