The stupidity of people comes from having an answer for everything. The wisdom of the novel comes from having a question for everything....The novelist teaches the reader to comprehend the world as a question. There is wisdom and tolerance in that attitude. In a world built on sacrosanct certainties the novel is dead. The totalitarian world, whether founded on Marx, Islam, or anything else, is a world of answers rather than questions. There, the novel has no place.
The quote highlights the distinction between the rigidity of having definitive answers and the openness that comes with questioning. Milan Kundera suggests that people's foolishness often stems from their insistence on having all the answers, whereas true wisdom lies in the ability to pose questions. This questioning mindset allows for a deeper understanding of life and fosters tolerance, encouraging individuals to explore complexities rather than cling to absolutes.
Kundera posits that...