Soren Kierkegaard, The Present A Quotes

A collection of quotes by Soren Kierkegaard, The Present A.

SÃ¸ren Kierkegaard, born on May 5, 1813, in Copenhagen, Denmark, was a renowned Danish philosopher, theologian, and writer. Kierkegaard's works revolved around existentialism, ethics, Christian philosophy, and the nature of truth. He is considered one of the founding figures of existentialism and a significant influence on 19th-century philosophy.

Kierkegaard grew up in a strictly religious household and inherited deep religious convictions. Despite his theological background, he pursued diverse intellectual interests throughout his life, including literature and psychology. Known for his thought-provoking and introspective writings, Kierkegaard often made use of pseudonyms to present different philosophical perspectives or characters in his works.

Throughout his career, Kierkegaard published several influential books, including "Fear and Trembling," "Either/Or," "The Sickness Unto Death," and "Works of Love." These writings explored profound existential questions concerning faith, despair, individuality, and subjective truth. Kierkegaard's philosophy emphasized the significance of subjective truth and the individual's need to make a personal commitment to exist authentically.

Due to his unorthodox and challenging ideas, Kierkegaard faced critique from religious establishments in Denmark. However, his works continue to resonate with readers worldwide, inspiring thinkers from various disciplines.

SÃ¸ren Kierkegaard died on November 11, 1855, at the young age of 42, but his philosophical legacy lives on, shaping the way we understand existentialism and the complexities of human existence.

The Media is an abstraction (because a newspaper is not concrete and only in an abstract sense can be considered an individual), which in association with the passionlessness and reflection of the times creates that abstract phantom, the public, which is the actual leveler. . . . More and more individuals will, because of their indolent bloodlessness, aspire to become nothing, in order to become the public, this abstract whole, which forms in this ridiculous manner: the public comes into existence because all its participants become third parties. This lazy mass, which understands nothing and does nothing, this public gallery seeks some distraction, and soon gives itself over to the idea that everything which someone does, or achieves, has been done to provide the public something to gossip about. . . . The public has a dog for its amusement. That dog is the Media. If there is someone better than the public, someone who distinguishes himself, the public sets the dog on him and all the amusement begins. This biting dog tears up his coat-tails, and takes all sort of vulgar liberties with his leg--until the public bores of it all and calls the dog off. That is how the public levels.

Soren Kierkegaard, The Present A

Media