--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: a man who has decided upon…" description: "\"a man who has decided upon self-destruction is far removed from mundane affairs, and to sit down and write his will would be, at that moment, an act ju..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/vladimir-nabokov-198_absurd_a-man-who-has-decided-upon-self-destruct_2016987.jpg" --- # a man who has decided upon self-destruction is far removed… ![“a man who has decided upon self-destruction is far removed from mundane affairs, and to sit down and write his will would be, at that moment, an act just as absurd as winding up one’s watch, since together with the man, the whole world is destroyed; the last letter is instantly reduced to dust…” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/vladimir-nabokov-198_absurd_a-man-who-has-decided-upon-self-destruct_2016987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/vladimir-nabokov-198_absurd_a-man-who-has-decided-upon-self-destruct_2016987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/vladimir-nabokov-198_absurd_a-man-who-has-decided-upon-self-destruct_2016987.jpg) > “a man who has decided upon self-destruction is far removed from mundane affairs, and to sit down and write his will would be, at that moment, an act just as absurd as winding up one’s watch, since together with the man, the whole world is destroyed; the last letter is instantly reduced to dust and, with it, all the postmen; and like smoke, vanishes the estate bequeathed to a nonexistent progeny.” [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-destruction isolates one from ordinary life; any attempt to formalize legacy becomes absurd as the world collapses with the self. **In simple terms:** Destruction renders all plans meaningless. Key Takeaway Recognize the impact of self-harm on broader existence. Themes self-destruction absurdity legacy Mood somber thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - mental health crises - legal wills - philosophical debates - artistic expression Key Concepts existentialism nihilism impermanence Questions to Reflect On - What does “the world is destroyed” symbolize? - Can legacy survive self-destruction? A Different Perspective May romanticize destruction, ignoring preventable harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) [Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) [Destroyed Letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed-letter-3631334/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Destruction Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction-far-3631336/) [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Dust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dust/) [Estates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/estates/) [Last Letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-letter/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Letters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letters/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Mundane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mundane/) [Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postman/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-destruction/) [That moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/that-moment/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Vanishes Estate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanishes-estate-3631335/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A person who says that O is the last letter of ZERO, instead of the first letter in OPPORTUNITY.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/araba/a-person-who-says-that-o-is-the-last-letter-of-zero-instead-of-the/) [Araba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/araba/) > [Why does the sun set. 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Words without experience are meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/we-live-not-only-in-a-world-of-thoughts-but-also-in-a-world-of-things/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“As palavras sem a experiência não teriam qualquer significado.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/as-palavras-sem-a-experi-ncia-n-o-teriam-qualquer-significado/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“It isn’t possible. I cannot imagine it. Come on over here, you foolish little doe, and tell me on what day I shall die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/it-isn-t-possible-i-cannot-imagine-it-come-on-over-here-you-foolish/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Precautions to be taken in the case Of freak reincarnation: what to do On suddenly discovering that you Are now a young and vulnerable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/precautions-to-be-taken-in-the-case-of-freak-reincarnation-what-to-do/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [And this is the only immortality you and i may share, my Lolita.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/and-this-is-the-only-immortality-you-and-i-may-share-my-lolita/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Be true to your Dick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/be-true-to-your-dick/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“It is indeed a tricky name. It is often misspelt, because the eye tends to regard the "a" of the first syllable as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/it-is-indeed-a-tricky-name-it-is-often-misspelt-because-the-eye-tends/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“(T)here exist friendships which develop their own inner duration, their own eons of transparent time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/t-here-exist-friendships-which-develop-their-own-inner-duration-their/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“She was all rose and honey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/she-was-all-rose-and-honey/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) [Explore all 883 Vladimir Nabokov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) ## More Absurd quotes > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [When a person’s tongue is extensively wrong, it is absurd, no less than unscriptural, to say that their heart is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/when-a-person-s-tongue-is-extensively-wrong-it-is-absurd-no-less-than/) [J. 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