But for what purpose was the earth formed?" asked Candide. "To drive us mad, " replied Martin.

Voltaire
About This Quote

In this quote, Voltaire captures the essence of having a purpose in life. We have been given the power to create something from nothing, but that power is useless if we do not know what to do with it. As Candide and Martin sit in the garden, they ponder all of the things around them and can’t see a purpose for their lives. Martin wants to know why the world was created and Candide wants to know why he is on earth. Together, they figure out that without people being on earth, no one can live and consequently there would be no one left to wonder about purpose or the meaning of life.

Source: Candide

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