“The truth is a snare: you cannot have it, without being caught. You cannot have the truth in such a way that you catch it, but only in such a way that it catches you.”
- May 5, 1813 – November 11, 1855
- Danish
- Philosopher, Theologian, Poet, Father of Existentialism
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Quote
“The truth is a snare: you cannot have it, without being caught. You cannot have the truth in such a way that you catch it, but only in such a way that it catches you.”
Explanation
This quote reveals Kierkegaard’s deep belief that truth is not an object to be possessed or mastered, but a living force that takes hold of the individual. Unlike scientific facts or abstract knowledge, existential and spiritual truth demands a transformation of the person who encounters it. You cannot approach it from a distance, remain unchanged, or use it for personal gain. Instead, when you truly confront truth, you are claimed by it, challenged, and often reshaped.
Kierkegaard developed this idea as a critique of detached rationalism, especially in the academic and theological circles of 19th-century Denmark. He believed that much of what passed for “truth” in society was actually inauthentic opinion or secondhand belief. For Kierkegaard, real truth—particularly religious truth—was existential: it required inward commitment, passion, and risk. To know the truth is to be bound to it, to let it alter how one lives, thinks, and relates to the world.
In the modern context, this quote pushes back against consumer-style approaches to wisdom or faith, where truth is seen as something to acquire and use. Kierkegaard warns that truth is not safe or passive—it demands surrender, and it upends comfort and certainty. To be caught by truth means to be held accountable to it. Thus, the pursuit of truth is not a matter of control, but of willingness to be changed by what is ultimately greater than oneself.
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