5 ms·

“Marry, and you will regret it; don’t marry, you will also regret it; marry or don’t marry, you will regret it either way.”. Søren Kierkegaard

camjohnson26 4y ago
Worth noting Kierkegaard never married
- pixelmonkey 4y ago
  That historical detail is actually somewhat irrelevant to the quote. This is from "Either/Or" and Kierkegaard was making a point about the nature of decision-making and regret, not about marriage. The fuller quote: "If you marry, you will regret it; if you do not marry, you will also regret it; if you marry or if you do not marry, you will regret both. Laugh at the world’s foolishness, you will regret it; weep over it, you will also regret it; whether you laugh at the world’s foolishness or weep over it, you will regret both. Believe a girl, you will regret it; if you do not believe her, you will also regret it; if you believe a girl or you do not believe her, you will regret both. [...] This, gentlemen, is the sum of all practical wisdom." And later: "Were I to wish for anything I would not wish for wealth and power, but for the passion of the possible, that eye which everywhere, ever young, ever burning, sees possibility. Pleasure disappoints, not possibility."
bartvk 4y ago
I feel this quote badly aged. Nowadays, the choice isn't really binary anymore, there's so much between marrying or not. I never married but had two long, solid relationships so far. Which I'm quite happy with. I do note that you didn't actually say what your choice was, and whether you regret it.
- rchaud 4y ago
  Marriage was considered a core social obligation until very recently. In modern times, I take this quote to mean something closer to "choose to conform to what society expects or choose not to; you will have some regrets either way."
  - bartvk 4y ago
    That’s a good point, thanks!
Nomentatus 4y ago
I've usually seen this quote attributed to Socrates: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10290499-rather-you-marry-or-not-you-ll-regret https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10290499-rather-you-marry-o... If memory serves, it's not in any of the dialogues that survive; but was anciently attributed to him.
kamaal 4y ago
Marriage is that fruit, which those who never tasted- long for it, and those who taste it- repent it. - And Indian Saying.

camjohnson26 4y ago

Worth noting Kierkegaard never married

pixelmonkey 4y ago
That historical detail is actually somewhat irrelevant to the quote. This is from "Either/Or" and Kierkegaard was making a point about the nature of decision-making and regret, not about marriage. The fuller quote: "If you marry, you will regret it; if you do not marry, you will also regret it; if you marry or if you do not marry, you will regret both. Laugh at the world’s foolishness, you will regret it; weep over it, you will also regret it; whether you laugh at the world’s foolishness or weep over it, you will regret both. Believe a girl, you will regret it; if you do not believe her, you will also regret it; if you believe a girl or you do not believe her, you will regret both. [...] This, gentlemen, is the sum of all practical wisdom." And later: "Were I to wish for anything I would not wish for wealth and power, but for the passion of the possible, that eye which everywhere, ever young, ever burning, sees possibility. Pleasure disappoints, not possibility."

bartvk 4y ago

I feel this quote badly aged. Nowadays, the choice isn't really binary anymore, there's so much between marrying or not. I never married but had two long, solid relationships so far. Which I'm quite happy with. I do note that you didn't actually say what your choice was, and whether you regret it.

rchaud 4y ago
Marriage was considered a core social obligation until very recently. In modern times, I take this quote to mean something closer to "choose to conform to what society expects or choose not to; you will have some regrets either way."
- bartvk 4y ago
  That’s a good point, thanks!

Nomentatus 4y ago

I've usually seen this quote attributed to Socrates: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10290499-rather-you-marry-or-not-you-ll-regret https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10290499-rather-you-marry-o... If memory serves, it's not in any of the dialogues that survive; but was anciently attributed to him.

kamaal 4y ago

Marriage is that fruit, which those who never tasted- long for it, and those who taste it- repent it. - And Indian Saying.