Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzschewas a German philosopher, cultural critic, poet and Latin and Greek scholar whose work has exerted a profound influence on Western philosophy and modern intellectual history. He began his career as a classical philologist before turning to philosophy. He became the youngest ever to hold the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel in 1869, at the age of 24. Nietzsche resigned in 1879 due to health problems that plagued him most of his life, and...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth15 October 1844
CityRocken, Germany
CountryGermany
He who lives as children live - who does not struggle for his bread and does not believe that his actions possess any ultimate significance - remains childlike.
Unexplained, obscure matters are regarded as more important than explained, clear ones.
Now know I well what people sought formerly above all else when they sought Teachers of virtue. Good sleep they sought for themselves, and poppy-head virtues to promote it! To all those be-lauded sages of the academic chairs, wisdom was sleep Without dreams: they knew no higher significance of life. Even at present, to be sure, there are some like this preacher of virtue, and not always so honorable: but their time is past. And not much longer do they stand: there they already lie. Blessed are those drowsy ones: for they shall soon nod to sleep.-Thus spoke Zarathustra.
"State," I call it, where they all drink poison, the good and the wicked; "state," where they all lose themselves, the good and the wicked; "state," where they all call their slow suicide-"life."
The relatives of a suicide hold it against him that out of consideration for their reputation he did not remain alive.
Thinking about suicide is a potent consolation: it helps us to get through many a bad night.
One must learn to be a sponge if one wants to be loved by hearts that overflow.
Man wishes woman to be peaceable, but in fact she is essentially warlike, like the cat.
You gave him an opportunity of showing greatness of character and he did not seize it. He will never forgive you for that.
When one rows it is not the rowing which moves the ship: rowing is only a magical ceremony by means of which one compels a demon to move the ship.
To have to fight the instincts - that is the definition of decadence: as long as life is ascending, happiness equals instinct.
Ah, how little you know of human happiness - you comfortable and benevolent people! For happiness and unhappiness are brother and sister - or even twins who grow up together - or in your case - remain small together!
Life, and you, and I, and all of us together became for a while interesing to ourselves once more.
To call a thing good not a day longer than it appears to us good, and above all not a day earlier - that is the only way to keep joy pure.