--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was completely fruitless to quarrel…" description: "\"It was completely fruitless to quarrel with the world, whereas the quarrel with oneself was occasionally fruitful and always, she had to admit, interes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/soren-kierkegaard-578_fruitless_it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-w_2952265.jpg" --- # It was completely fruitless to quarrel with the world… ![“It was completely fruitless to quarrel with the world, whereas the quarrel with oneself was occasionally fruitful and always, she had to admit, interesting.” quote by Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/soren-kierkegaard-578_fruitless_it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-w_2952265.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/soren-kierkegaard-578_fruitless_it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-w_2952265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/soren-kierkegaard-578_fruitless_it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-w_2952265.jpg) > “It was completely fruitless to quarrel with the world, whereas the quarrel with oneself was occasionally fruitful and always, she had to admit, interesting.” [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. Quarreling with the world is futile; inner conflict can be productive and intriguing. **In simple terms:** External fights waste energy; inner debate can be useful. Key Takeaway Focus on self‑examination. Themes philosophy conflict self‑knowledge Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - intellectual inquiry Key Concepts external conflict inner conflict productivity Questions to Reflect On - What inner conflicts have taught you? - How can you turn inner tension into growth? A Different Perspective External conflict may distract from personal development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Completely Fruitless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completely-fruitless-4456334/) [Fruitless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruitless/) [Fruitless Quarrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruitless-quarrel-4456332/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself/) [Quarrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarrel/) [Quarrel Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarrel-oneself-4456333/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“If you waste time watering a fruitless tree, fruitful ones may die of thirst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-you-waste-time-watering-a-fruitless-tree-fruitful-ones-may-die-of/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [To exist in an echo chamber and only talk to people with whom we agree is fruitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/to-exist-in-an-echo-chamber-and-only-talk-to-people-with-whom-we/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [Never think of any right effort as being fruitless. All right effort bears fruit, whether we see the results or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/never-think-of-any-right-effort-as-being-fruitless-all-right-effort/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [“You just cannot reason with a turnip. It's fruitless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hays/you-just-cannot-reason-with-a-turnip-it-s-fruitless/) [Gary Hays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hays/) > [“How weak and fruitless must be any word of mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/how-weak-and-fruitless-must-be-any-word-of-mine/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Think of the 40 years of confrontation. What is it we gained?...The old style has exposed itself: it is fruitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergey-akhromeyev/think-of-the-40-years-of-confrontation-what-is-it-we-gained-the-old/) [Sergey Akhromeyev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergey-akhromeyev/) > [The prayer that is faithless is fruitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/the-prayer-that-is-faithless-is-fruitless/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [“But to this Orc-work such a life as we lead has brought us. Lawless and fruitless all our deeds have been, serving only ourselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-to-this-orc-work-such-a-life-as-we-lead-has-brought-us-lawless/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [Knowledge is vain and fruitless which is not reduced to practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/knowledge-is-vain-and-fruitless-which-is-not-reduced-to-practice/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“He was a vegetable, so trying to change his mind was fruitless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/he-was-a-vegetable-so-trying-to-change-his-mind-was-fruitless/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Fruitless striving breeds less despair than inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/fruitless-striving-breeds-less-despair-than-inaction/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [If there is no effort towards the relationship, it's like irrigating a fruitless trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nino-jobo-lucy/if-there-is-no-effort-towards-the-relationship-it-s-like-irrigating-a/) [Nino Jobo Lucy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nino-jobo-lucy/) > [I speak of the war as fruitless; for it is clear that, prosecuted upon the basis of the proclamations of September 22d and September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-pierce/i-speak-of-the-war-as-fruitless-for-it-is-clear-that-prosecuted-upon/) [Franklin Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-pierce/) > [Trying to get without first giving is as fruitless as trying to reap without having sown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/trying-to-get-without-first-giving-is-as-fruitless-as-trying-to-reap/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The omnipotence of evil has never resulted in anything but fruitless efforts. Our thoughts always escape from whoever tries to smother them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-omnipotence-of-evil-has-never-resulted-in-anything-but-fruitless/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## 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. I was rapt into the Seventh Heaven. There sat all the gods assembled. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-strange-thing-happened-to-me-in-my-dream-i-was-rapt-into-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [That which is truly human no generation learns from the one before it. No generation learns from another how to love. No generation has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/that-which-is-truly-human-no-generation-learns-from-the-one-before-it/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A man may perform astonishing feats and comprehend a vast amount of knowledge, and yet have no understanding of himself. But suffering directs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-man-may-perform-astonishing-feats-and-comprehend-a-vast-amount-of/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Be that self which one truly is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/be-that-self-which-one-truly-is/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I go fishing for a thousand monsters in the depths of my own self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-go-fishing-for-a-thousand-monsters-in-the-depths-of-my-own-self/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant… My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/in-addition-to-my-other-numerous-acquaintances-i-have-one-more/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [The greatest danger to Christianity is, I contend, not heresies, not heterodoxies, not atheists, not profane secularism - no, but the kind of orthodoxy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-greatest-danger-to-christianity-is-i-contend-not-heresies-not/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Future is everything that past has forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/future-is-everything-that-past-has-forgotten/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Without risk, faith is an impossibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/without-risk-faith-is-an-impossibility/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I have only one confidant, and that is the silence of night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-have-only-one-confidant-and-that-is-the-silence-of-night/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A road well begun is the battle half won. 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 Fruitless quotes > [“If you waste time watering a fruitless tree, fruitful ones may die of thirst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-you-waste-time-watering-a-fruitless-tree-fruitful-ones-may-die-of/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Trying to get without first giving is as fruitless as trying to reap without having sown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/trying-to-get-without-first-giving-is-as-fruitless-as-trying-to-reap/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I speak of the war as fruitless; for it is clear that, prosecuted upon the basis of the proclamations of September 22d and September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-pierce/i-speak-of-the-war-as-fruitless-for-it-is-clear-that-prosecuted-upon/) [Franklin Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-pierce/) > [If there is no effort towards the relationship, it's like irrigating a fruitless trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nino-jobo-lucy/if-there-is-no-effort-towards-the-relationship-it-s-like-irrigating-a/) [Nino Jobo Lucy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nino-jobo-lucy/) > [Fruitless striving breeds less despair than inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/fruitless-striving-breeds-less-despair-than-inaction/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“He was a vegetable, so trying to change his mind was fruitless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/he-was-a-vegetable-so-trying-to-change-his-mind-was-fruitless/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Knowledge is vain and fruitless which is not reduced to practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/knowledge-is-vain-and-fruitless-which-is-not-reduced-to-practice/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“But to this Orc-work such a life as we lead has brought us. Lawless and fruitless all our deeds have been, serving only ourselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-to-this-orc-work-such-a-life-as-we-lead-has-brought-us-lawless/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [The prayer that is faithless is fruitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/the-prayer-that-is-faithless-is-fruitless/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [Think of the 40 years of confrontation. What is it we gained?...The old style has exposed itself: it is fruitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergey-akhromeyev/think-of-the-40-years-of-confrontation-what-is-it-we-gained-the-old/) [Sergey Akhromeyev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergey-akhromeyev/) > [“How weak and fruitless must be any word of mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/how-weak-and-fruitless-must-be-any-word-of-mine/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“You just cannot reason with a turnip. It's fruitless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hays/you-just-cannot-reason-with-a-turnip-it-s-fruitless/) [Gary Hays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hays/) > [Never think of any right effort as being fruitless. All right effort bears fruit, whether we see the results or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/never-think-of-any-right-effort-as-being-fruitless-all-right-effort/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [To exist in an echo chamber and only talk to people with whom we agree is fruitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/to-exist-in-an-echo-chamber-and-only-talk-to-people-with-whom-we/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [The omnipotence of evil has never resulted in anything but fruitless efforts. Our thoughts always escape from whoever tries to smother them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-omnipotence-of-evil-has-never-resulted-in-anything-but-fruitless/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Browse all 27 Fruitless quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruitless/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was completely fruitless to quarrel with the world, whereas the quarrel with oneself was occasionally fruitful and always, she had to admit, interesting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Soren Kierkegaard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-with-the-world-whereas-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fruitless" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-with-the-world-whereas-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/soren-kierkegaard-578_fruitless_it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-w_2952265.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/soren-kierkegaard-578_fruitless_it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-w_2952265.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/soren-kierkegaard-578_fruitless_it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-w_2952265.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was completely fruitless to quarrel with the world, whereas the quarrel with oneself was occasionally…” — Soren Kierkegaard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Soren Kierkegaard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It was completely fruitless to quarrel...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-with-the-world-whereas-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/it-was-completely-fruitless-to-quarrel-with-the-world-whereas-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```