Identity Quote by Lars Fr. H. Svendsen
““Man is a world-forming being, a being that actively constitutes his own world, but when everything is always already fully coded, the active constituting of the world is made superfluous, and we lose friction in relation to the world.We Romantics need a meaning that we ourselves realize – and the person who is preoccupied with self-realization inevitably has a meaning problem. This is no one collective meaning in life any more, a meaning that it is up to the individual to participate in. Nor is it that easy to find an own meaning in life, either. The meaning that most people embrace is self-realization as such, but it is not obvious what type of self is to be realized, nor what should possibly result from it. The person who is certain as regards himself will not ask the question as to who he is. Only a problematic self feels the need for realization.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Unknown, 2020
People seek meaning through self‑realization, but the self is ambiguous, making meaning elusive.
In simple terms: Finding meaning is hard because the self is unclear.
Key Takeaway
Question your assumptions about self and meaning.
Themes
meaning
self‑realization
existentialism
Mood
thoughtful
philosophical
Type
existential
reflective
When to use this quote
- career counseling
- creative writing
- personal therapy
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “self” mean to you?
- How can you find meaning beyond personal identity?
A Different Perspective
Self‑realization may become a self‑absorbed pursuit.
![“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s self. Everything in the worldly life is nothing but intoxication. The food is intoxicating, the senses are intoxicating. [Therefore] Go to the one, who…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b3/dada-bhagwan-31_absolute_in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-into_3662.jpg)
