That's the existential problem," Fat said, "based on the concept that We are what we do, rather than, We are what we think. It finds its first expression in Goethe's Faust, Part One, where Faust says, 'Im Anfang war das Wort'. He's quoting the opening of the Fourth Gospel; 'In the beginning was the Word.' Faust says, 'Nein. Im Anfang war die Tat.' In the beginning was the Deed. From this, all existentialism comes.
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Fat expresses the idea that our identity is shaped more by our actions than our thoughts. This concept originates from Goethe's Faust, where Faust challenges the notion of beginnings by asserting that deeds, not words or thoughts, are what define us. This shift in perspective lays the foundation for existential thought, emphasizing that it is through our choices and actions that we create our essence.
The quote highlights a crucial existentialist dilemma, suggesting that understanding our existence is rooted in what we do instead of what we believe. This shifts the focus of identity from internal contemplation to external manifestation, illustrating that it is through tangible deeds that we truly understand ourselves and our place in the world.
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