About That Søren Kierkegaard Quote Joe Biden Has Pinned to His Mirror

Politics has always been a nasty business that has brought out the worst in us. But if we have faith in the process, it can also allow our better sides to shine.

Søren Kierkegaard. Wikipedia.

I rarely look forward to seeing what’s trending on Twitter.

Color me surprised, then, when I saw #Kierkegaard making the digital rounds.

Immediately, I thought to myself, “Why the hell is a 19th-century existentialist philosopher trending on a website best known for its lack of philosophical nuance?”

Turns out, Joe Biden’s wife keeps a quote of his taped to the mirror, which reads, “Faith sees best in the dark.”

I figured I’d use this once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity to actually write something in accordance with the trends, as who knows when another chance like this will arrive.

If you’re interested, you can check out the piece I wrote on another Kierkegaard quote awhile back.

But for today's purpose, I’ll focus on what Joe Biden finds relevant, as it relates to what many of us might be feeling amidst a bleak political discussion.

Kierkegaard still has something to offer the modern world, especially when we consider the fact that organized religion is playing less of a role in people’s lives and in a society where consumerism reigns triumphant, making it hard to find joy, meaning, and purpose in life.

Many have turned to politics — and its corresponding ideologies — to fill the void that more traditional belief systems once inhabited.

That’s problematic when we consider how polarized the nation is, and how gridlocked our institutions seem to be.

So it is no wonder to me that Joe Biden finds solace in the following words:

“Faith sees best in the dark.”

— Søren Kierkegaard

We have taken to viewing politics as a nasty business, which is why we tend to avoid it as a topic at the dinner table even as we let loose on the digital forums provided by the internet.