Admire Quote by Thomas Bernhard
“We must allow ourselves to think, we must dare to think, even though we fail. It is in the nature of things that we always fail, because we suddenly find it impossible to order our thoughts, because the process of thinking requires us to consider every thought there is, every possible thought. Fundamentally we have always failed, like all the others, whoever they were, even the greatest minds. At some point, they suddenly failed and their system collapsed, as is proved by their writings, which we admire because they venture farthest into failure. To think is to fail, I thought.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Der Ignorant und der Wahnsinnige, 1974
Thinking inevitably leads to failure because the mind cannot fully order every thought; yet this failure is essential for intellectual daring.
In simple terms: Thinking always risks failure.
Key Takeaway
Accept failure as part of thinking.
Themes
intellectual risk
failure
creativity
Mood
introspective
challenging
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- artistic creation
- problem solving
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
philosophy of mind
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does fear of failure limit your thinking?
- Can you find value in incomplete ideas?
A Different Perspective
Failure may paralyze action if not managed.
