The Economic Times

Quote of the day by novelist Nikolai Gogol: 'The human obsession with purpose is merely a distraction from the absurdity of existence'

Nikolai Gogol, the 19th-century Ukrainian-born novelist, once wrote, The human obsession with purpose is merely a distraction from the absurdity of existence. His words suggest that constantly chasing meaning can blind us to lifes unpredictable and sometimes chaotic nature. Through his stories, from Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka to Dead Souls and The Overcoat, Gogol explored ordinary people navigating absurd social systems, showing how obsession with status or purpose often misses the point.