Questioning the Answer
Gertrude Stein’s famous quote – “There ain’t no answer. There ain’t going to be any answer. There never has been an answer. That’s the answer.” – has long been a favourite among non-believers, most lately appearing on the cover of The Atheist’s Bible.
I read this morning, though, that Gertrude’s pronouncement wasn’t answer enough — even for her. According to her biographer, Donald Sutherland, on her deathbed Stein was still asking, What is the answer?
When no answer came, she laughed. ”In that case,” she said, “what is the question?” These were her final words before she died.
What is the question? I can’t help but think that is where Stein should have started.
And the rest of us too.
We have so many answers. But first, really, what is the question?
Is there a question? Perhaps it’s the search itself.
W. B. Yeats was concerned with whether the poet was the observer or the observed. This question might apply to any creative writer. Here’s my question for you..
The seer or the seen
which am I when a
mirror stands between
Steve
Thanks for that, Steve. Nice one! Do you want an answer?
No, the older I get the less I need or trust answers. Just sharing a mutual ponderance (ponderation?) of big ideas.
The question, to me is: “Does the Universal Truth really need us knowing or believing it?” What ever is, is, and I think that we’re so much in a need of finding the answer because of the idea that you need to believe in God to be accepted to the eternal life. If there is a God, why would he care, and if there isn’t, why should we care? I do think there is a God, who really doesn’t need anyone of us believing in him or worshipping him, because, well, he IS the God.
BTW, I tagged you to a meme – I don’t know if you do them but there you go. *You’ve been served*