“At the bottom of enmity between strangers lies indifference.”
- May 5, 1813 – November 11, 1855
- Danish
- Philosopher, Theologian, Poet, Father of Existentialism
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Quote
“At the bottom of enmity between strangers lies indifference.”
Explanation
This quote reveals Kierkegaard’s insight into the emotional and spiritual root of conflict, particularly between people who do not know each other. He suggests that enmity between strangers is not driven by deep hatred, but rather by a lack of genuine concern or recognition—a kind of cold indifference. Where love involves attention and engagement, and even hatred can involve a twisted form of obsession, indifference signals a complete absence of connection, making it a chilling foundation for hostility.
Kierkegaard’s broader philosophy often focused on inwardness, responsibility, and authentic relationship. For him, the danger in society was not always overt malice, but rather the passivity and detachment that leads people to ignore one another’s humanity. When people fail to see others as individuals with value, they become easily reduced to stereotypes or enemies, and indifference becomes fertile ground for alienation, injustice, and cruelty.
In contemporary life, the quote resonates in social, political, and digital contexts where anonymity and distance often foster division. We may clash with those we do not understand or care to understand, driven more by apathy than true opposition. Kierkegaard’s insight calls us to break through indifference, to see strangers as fellow human beings, and to engage with them not with hostility or coldness, but with attention and empathy. True peace, he implies, begins not with agreement, but with recognition and concern.
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