50 Absurdism Quotes about the Meaning of the Universe

If you have ever wondered what the philosophical theory of absurdism means, look at these absurdism quotes.

According to Merriam-webster.com, absurdism is “a philosophy based on the belief that the universe is irrational and meaningless and that the search for order brings the individual into conflict with the universe.”

Absurdism is first seen in part in the work of Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard in the 19th century, although more work toward defining absurdism is credited to Albert Camus.

Arguments for this philosophy argue that things we do today won’t matter in a million years and that our individual lives are insignificant because of the small impact we can leave.

People who argue against this philosophy say that life has meaning, God exists, and he has created order in the universe.

Take a look at these absurdism quotes to learn more about this philosophy.

Absurdism Quotes By Soren Kierkegaard

Here are some quotes by one of the founders of absurdism.

1. “Don’t forget to love yourself.” — Soren Kierkegaard

2. “Love is all, it gives all, and it takes all.” — Soren Kierkegaard

3. “Confidence is the present tense of hope.” — Soren Kierkegaard

4. “Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts.” — Soren Kierkegaard

5. “Boredom is the root of all evil, the despairing refusal to be oneself.” — Soren Kierkegaard

6. “Personality is only ripe when a man has made the truth his own.” — Soren Kierkegaard

7. “Life has its own hidden forces which you can only discover by living.” — Soren Kierkegaard

8. “Trouble is the common denominator of the living. It is the great equalizer.” — Soren Kierkegaard

9. “Face the facts of being what you are, for that is what changes what you are.” — Soren Kierkegaard

10. “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true, the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” — Soren Kierkegaard

More Absurdism Quotes By Soren Kierkegaard

Enjoy some more quotes from the Danish philosopher that helped to begin the philosophy of Absurdism.

11. “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” — Soren Kierkegaard

12. “Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards.” — Soren Kierkegaard

13. “People settle for a level of despair they can tolerate and call it happiness.” — Soren Kierkegaard

14. “Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.” — Soren Kierkegaard

15. “What if everything in the world were a misunderstanding, what if laughter were really tears?” — Soren Kierkegaard

16. “The most painful state of being is remembering the future, particularly one you’ll never have.” – Soren Kierkegaard

17. “If anyone on the verge of actions should judge himself according to the outcome, he would never begin.” — Soren Kierkegaard

18. “I feel as if I were a piece in a game of chess when my opponent says of it: That piece cannot be moved.” — Soren Kierkegaard

19. “It is essential, in relationships and all tasks, that we concentrate only on what is most significant and important.” — Soren Kierkegaard

20. “The highest and most beautiful things in life are not to be heard about, nor read about, nor seen, but if one will, are to be lived.” — Soren Kierkegaard

Absurdism Quotes By Albert Camus

Take a look at these quotes by Albert Camus, who was credited with defining the Absurdism philosophy.

21. “Men must live and create. Live to the point of tears.” — Albert Camus

22. “Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear.” — Albert Camus

23. “Always go too far because that’s where you’ll find the truth.” — Albert Camus

24. “A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.” — Albert Camus

25. “Yes, everything is simple. It is people who complicate things.” — Albert Camus

26. “Life is a sum of all your choices. So, what are you doing today?” — Albert Camus

27. “Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.” — Albert Camus

28. “Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.” — Albert Camus

29. “Whoever gives nothing has nothing. The greatest misfortune is not to be unloved, but not to love.” — Albert Camus

30. “The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” — Albert Camus

More Absurdism Quotes From Albert Camus

Enjoy some more quotes from the French – Algerian philosopher.

31. “To be happy, we must not be too concerned with others.” — Albert Camus

32. “Those who lack courage will always find the philosophy to justify it.” — Albert Camus

33. “There is no sun without shadow, and it is essential to know the night.” — Albert Camus

34. “Sometimes, carrying on, just carrying on, is the superhuman achievement.” — Albert Camus

35. “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.” — Albert Camus

36. “But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?” — Albert Camus

37. “I know that man is capable of great deeds. But if he isn’t capable of great emotion, well, he leaves me cold.” — Albert Camus

38. “Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow, just walk beside me and be my friend.” — Albert Camus

39. “No matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” — Albert Camus

40. “All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning. Great works are often born on a street corner or in a restaurant’s revolving door.” — Albert Camus

Interesting Absurdism Quotes

Here are some interesting absurdism quotes to make you think.

41. “A fate is not a punishment.” — Albert Camus

42. “The trouble with absurdism is that it dances with fate around the quicksand of nihilism.” — Joe Kincheloe

43. “I never approve, or disapprove, of anything now. It is an absurd attitude to take towards life.” — Oscar Wilde

44. “The arrow of time obscures memory of both past and future circumstance with innumerable fallacies, the least trivial of which is perception.” — Ashim Shanker

45. “I am interested only in “nonsense”; only in that which makes no practical sense. I am interested in life only in its absurd manifestations.” — Daniil Kharms

46. “Existentialist humor is stoic; the absurdist’s is black. The former has tragic possibilities: the victim of the joke is noble and his suffering commendable.” — Robert A. Hipkiss

47. “The absurdist is concerned with the search for meaning in the Universe. He believes this search to be meaningless–hence the disintegration of plot, character, and language in absurdist drama.” — Walter Wykes

48. “The prevailing attitude is Absurdism. A postmodern magazine may be irreverent, but not bitterly irreverent, for it’s not purposefully irreverent; its aim is indiscriminate because everyone is equally ridiculous.” — Robert Wright

49. “Whereas modern cynicism brought despair about the ability of the human species to realize laudable ideals, postmodern cynicism doesn’t — not because it’s optimistic, but because it can’t take ideals seriously in the first place.” — Robert Wright

50. “A hundred times, I thought of killing myself, but I still clung to life. That ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our most fateful traits because is there anything more ridiculous than wanting to continue to carry a load you always want to throw off?” — Candide Voltaire

Is Absurdism Controversial?

Yes, absurdism is controversial as most people that believe in God believe that there is a purpose to life and that He created order which conflicts with the views of Absurdism.

Absurdism does not receive as much attention from modern philosophers as some would like, but it is still a known philosophy.

Share these absurdism quotes with your friends and family, and post any comments about absurdism in the comment section below.