Asking questions Quote by Thomas Bernhard
““We brood about what we should have done differently or better or what we should not have done, because we are doomed to do so, but it does not lead anywhere. The disaster was inevitable, is what we then say and for a while, if only a short while, we are quiet. Then we start all over again asking questions and probing and probing until we have gone half crazy. We constantly look for someone responsible, or for several persons responsible, in order to make things bearable for ourselves at least for a moment, and naturally, if we are honest, we invariably end up with ourselves. We have reconciled ourselves to the fact that we have to exist, even though most of the time against our will, because we have no other choice, and only because we have again and again reconciled ourselves to this fact, every day and every moment anew, can we progress at all. And where we are progressing to, we have, if we are honest, known all our lives, to death, except that most of the time we are careful not to admit it.””
About This Quote
Source Play: The End, 1989
He reflects on humanity’s endless search for blame and meaning, acknowledging inevitable death and the need to keep questioning.
In simple terms: People keep searching for blame while facing inevitable death.
Accept responsibility and keep questioning life.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- grief counseling
- personal growth
- creative writing
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you find meaning without endless questioning?
- Can acceptance coexist with curiosity?
Over‑analysis can cause paralysis.