This concern accounts for Kierkegaard’s adoption of various authorial personae and a presentation of a smorgasbord of life options. Augustine wanted to redirect desire through the power of attraction, while Kierkegaard sought to protect desire from the enervating impact of certitude and security. Augustine sought to reassure, motivate, and guide the faltering and wayward pilgrim, while Kierkegaard wanted to prevent the tranquilized pilgrim from slipping into a spiritual coma. Augustine always returned to the theme that the road leads to the beautiful homeland, while Kierkegaard typically
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