--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the universal will constantly torture…" description: "\"“For the universal will constantly torture him and say, 'You ought to have talked. Where will you find the certainty that it was not after all a hidden..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/soren-kierkegaard-578_torture_for-the-universal-will-constantly-tortur_272117.jpg" --- # For the universal will constantly torture him and say… ![“For the universal will constantly torture him and say, 'You ought to have talked. Where will you find the certainty that it was not after all a hidden pride which governed your resolution?” quote by Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/soren-kierkegaard-578_torture_for-the-universal-will-constantly-tortur_272117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/soren-kierkegaard-578_torture_for-the-universal-will-constantly-tortur_272117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/soren-kierkegaard-578_torture_for-the-universal-will-constantly-tortur_272117.jpg) > ““For the universal will constantly torture him and say, 'You ought to have talked. Where will you find the certainty that it was not after all a hidden pride which governed your resolution?”” [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that constant self‑criticism can hide pride, questioning the certainty of one’s motives. **In simple terms:** Self‑criticism may conceal pride. Key Takeaway Examine motives honestly. Themes self‑reflection pride certainty ethical dilemma Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical existential When to use this quote - decision making - personal growth - therapy Key Concepts existentialism moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What hidden pride might you be avoiding? - How can you balance doubt with confidence? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can lead to paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constantly Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constantly-torture-2658897/) [Ought Talked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-talked-2658896/) [Talked Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talked-certainty-2658898/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [Torture Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture-say-2658895/) ## Related quotes > [There is only one thing that arouses animals more than pleasure, and that is pain. 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Man gets his through months and months of cruel torture; he will never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-higher-animals-get-their-teeth-without-pain-or-inconvenience-man/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“No matter what torture they inflict, don’t let them see you suffer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sansa-rayne/no-matter-what-torture-they-inflict-don-t-let-them-see-you-suffer/) [Sansa Rayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sansa-rayne/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“The silkiness of his voice was a torturous caress that I could have endured for the rest of my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-andrea/the-silkiness-of-his-voice-was-a-torturous-caress-that-i-could-have/) [Melissa Andrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-andrea/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) ## More by Soren Kierkegaard > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Christians remind me of schoolboys who want to look up the answers to their math problems in the back of the book rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christians-remind-me-of-schoolboys-who-want-to-look-up-the-answers-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [People commonly travel the world over to see rivers and mountains, new stars, garish birds, freak fish, grotesque breeds of human; they fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/people-commonly-travel-the-world-over-to-see-rivers-and-mountains-new/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“A strange thing happened to me in my dream. 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The important thing is to make a beginning and get under way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-road-well-begun-is-the-battle-half-won-the-important-thing-is-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I have, I believe, the courage to doubt everything; I have, I believe, the courage to fight against everything; but I do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-have-i-believe-the-courage-to-doubt-everything-i-have-i-believe-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) [Explore all 462 Soren Kierkegaard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## More Torture quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“The silkiness of his voice was a torturous caress that I could have endured for the rest of my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-andrea/the-silkiness-of-his-voice-was-a-torturous-caress-that-i-could-have/) [Melissa Andrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-andrea/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“No matter what torture they inflict, don’t let them see you suffer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sansa-rayne/no-matter-what-torture-they-inflict-don-t-let-them-see-you-suffer/) [Sansa Rayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sansa-rayne/) > [The higher animals get their teeth without pain or inconvenience. Man gets his through months and months of cruel torture; he will never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-higher-animals-get-their-teeth-without-pain-or-inconvenience-man/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When history looks back, I want people to know the Nazis weren't able to kill millions of people and get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/when-history-looks-back-i-want-people-to-know-the-nazis-weren-t-able/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [“So, then I’ll just use Jesse’s to torture you some more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-jeanisse/so-then-i-ll-just-use-jesse-s-to-torture-you-some-more/) [Bella Jeanisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-jeanisse/) > [Dominion is a spy novel, a love story, and also I hope gives some sense of the difficulties faced by dissidents under any totalitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/dominion-is-a-spy-novel-a-love-story-and-also-i-hope-gives-some-sense/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [“Worry is the worst kind of torture, because it makes you realize that you are not in control. And, what I need most, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-s-wrights/worry-is-the-worst-kind-of-torture-because-it-makes-you-realize-that/) [D.S. Wrights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-s-wrights/) > [But love is different for every person. For some it's hate, for some it's joy, for some it's fear, for some it's jealousy, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/but-love-is-different-for-every-person-for-some-it-s-hate-for-some-it/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [I'm a Midwesterner! Not being able to have a cheeseburger once in a while would be torture!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-capshaw/i-m-a-midwesterner-not-being-able-to-have-a-cheeseburger-once-in-a/) [Jessica Capshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-capshaw/) > [“But a punishment like forced labour or even imprisonment – mere loss of liberty – has never functioned without a certain additional element of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/but-a-punishment-like-forced-labour-or-even-imprisonment-mere-loss-of/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [Make no mistake: conversion therapy is not about 'praying away the gay.' It's an emotional torture against our most innocent citizens: our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/make-no-mistake-conversion-therapy-is-not-about-praying-away-the-gay/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. I desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/my-religious-convictions-and-scientific-views-cannot-at-present-be/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You know, your sarcasm isn’t appreciated right now. I’ve been drugged, beaten, nearly raped, saved, drugged again, hijacked, and now threatened by you. Tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-know-your-sarcasm-isn-t-appreciated-right-now-i-ve-been-drugged/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) [Browse all 1,548 Torture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For the universal will constantly torture him and say, 'You ought to have talked. 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