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Someone has to be an audience for the play you people are always improvising. All of you trying for the center stage. All of you trying to get the audience to notice you, to declare you the star, so that when you die, the curtain will come down and the show will end. But it never does. No one was the star after all That's the difference between life and art, of course. Life has no frames, no curtains, no beginnings and no endings Which should imply that it has no meaning I mean my own life. I mean what I do

Orson Scott Card#498

LifeMeaningPurposeExistentialism

About this quote

What does it mean?
Life lacks the structure of art, so it has no inherent meaning; we create meaning through our actions.
In plain terms
Life has no script or ending, so it has no built-in meaning like a play does.
What can you take from it?
Create your own meaning since life lacks a script.

Where it applies

  • personal crisis
  • philosophical discussion
  • career planning

Putting it to work

  • define personal goals
  • accept uncertainty

Questions to consider

  • What gives your life meaning?
  • Do you need an ending to matter?

Another view

Many find meaning in shared human experience.

More from Orson Scott Card

  1. Make sure the people understand they won't be required to sacrifice anything in order to belong to your assembly. A religion that is all sweetness, but no ligh…

    Permalink to quote #497
  2. I know what you do... I know why you do it. I can name you more truly than you can name yourself

    Permalink to quote #499
  3. Just because you know I had no other choice doesn't make the anger go away. I understand that. But you're a man now. You can put away these childish things

    Permalink to quote #496

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