The 43 best quotes by Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most influential philosophers of the 19th century, with a lasting impact on different fields, from philosophy to the arts and psychology. His intellectual audacity and his disdain for the commonplaces of his time positioned him as a fierce critic of mediocrity and cultural conformity.

His controversial and often misunderstood work is rich in deep thoughts that challenge our conventional perceptions of the world, morality, love, religion and existence. Next, we will explore Nietzsche’s most curious phrases.

Phrases by Friedrich Nietzsche about various aspects of life

Modern society, truth, love; These and other topics interested the German philosopher. Through his work, Nietzsche bequeathed ideals, thoughts, reflections and questions that we will present to you below.

Phrases that will leave you thinking

The influential thinker’s ideas are shocking and often challenge us, leading us to question assumptions that we considered certainties. Let’s see some of his most provocative and curious phrases.

1. «God is dead. And we have killed him”

It is one of Nietzsche’s most popular phrases. Suggest here that The traditional idea of ​​a moral and omnipotent God is no longer sustainable in the modern era.

However, the death of God does not imply the total loss of morality, but rather a call for each of us to rise to an authentic status, represented by the concept of the “superman.”

2. «Whoever fights with monsters must also be careful not to become a monster. “When you look for a long time into an abyss, it also looks into you.”

This warning is a profound observation about the nature of fighting evil or injustice. Nietzsche warns us about the danger of becoming like what we fight if we are not careful.

3. “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger”

Perhaps it is one of Nietzsche’s most quoted phrases. In it, the philosopher advocates resilience and growth through adversity. He also highlights the strong sense of individualism and autonomy that he held, represented in his concept of the will to power.

4. “Hope is the worst of evils, because it prolongs man’s torment”

This phrase from the book Human, too human, It challenges our conventional conception of hope as virtuous. The author suggests that This optimistic state of mind can prolong human suffering by postponing acceptance of reality, especially when it is painful or unfavorable.

5. «Without music, life would be a mistake»

Like Schopenhauer, Nietzsche believed that music, one of the purest and highest modes of art, has the power to enrich experiences. This idea is also related to another of his famous phrases where he confesses that he “would only believe in a god who knew how to dance.”

6. “There are no facts, only interpretations”

This reflection reveals a central perspective of his philosophy, challenging the idea that we can have access to objective truth. All knowledge is interpreted through the lens of our individual experiences, language, culture, and historical perspective.

That is behind each text there is a context. This is why French philosopher Paul Ricoeur refers to both Nietzsche, Freud and Marx as “masters of suspicion” because, through their philosophies, they attempted to reveal what is beneath the surface.

7. «He who knows that he is profound strives to be clear; “He who wants to appear profound strives to be dark.”

Nietzsche suggests that those who are truly wise will strive to communicate their ideas clearly and understandably while those who wish to appear intellectual or profound without having any real understanding tend to express themselves in complicated or enigmatic ways in order to impress.

8. “Isn’t life too short to be bored?”

Instead of wasting time on monotony or lack of enthusiasm, shouldn’t we make the most of our existence and find challenges that keep us interested?

9. “Only he who builds the future has the right to judge the past”

Nietzsche believes that those who take an active and committed stance to change and improve future circumstances have a more valuable perspective to evaluate what happened in the past.

10. “I need living companions, not corpses that I have to carry.”

From this phrase the philosopher highlights the value of surrounding yourself with optimistic, vibrant people committed to life.

Phrases that reflect what Nietzsche thought about love

Another aspect to highlight is that this philosopher also made interesting and unconventional statements regarding love.

11. “The demand to be loved is the greatest of aspirations.”

Instead of focusing on receiving love from others, Nietzsche suggests that it is healthier to learn to love yourself without relying on external validation.

12. “Everything that is done for love is done beyond good and evil.”

When an action is driven by genuine, selfless love, it is not subject to the restrictions of what is considered good or bad from a common moral perspective.

13. “Love is not blind, it is only blinded by the passion it carries within.”

The strong emotions that accompany love, and not love itself, often cause us to see things in a distorted or biased way, clouding our objective judgment.

14. “It is necessary to know how to love oneself, with a healthy and healthy love, to know how to support oneself and not wander.”

With this phrase, the famous thinker emphasizes the importance of cultivating solid self-love to maintain a balanced and satisfying life.

15. “Love and cruelty are not two opposite things: they are always found together in the firmest and best characters.”

Love and cruelty are not two opposite elements, as it may seem at first glance. They can even coexist in people with strong character.

16. “In love there is always some madness, and in madness there is always some reason.”

Love involves intense emotions that may seem irrational, but have an emotional basis. In turn, even madness includes an underlying motive or hidden logic.

17. “Where one cannot love more one must pass by.”

This quote from Nietzsche indicates that there is no point in trying to force something that is not manifesting naturally or clinging to what no longer exists.

18. “The truth is that we are accustomed to life not because we are accustomed to it, but because we are accustomed to love.”

Our familiarity with life is due to our ability to experience and give love, the thinker argues.

19. “The age of marriage always comes before falling in love.”

This idea highlights the discrepancy between the social expectations of Nietzsche’s time and the actual experience of love.

20. «Those who have loved man the most have always done him the most harm. They have demanded the impossible from him, like all his lovers.

Demanding too much from humanity can be harmful, since the unattainable is expected of it. Something similar happens in romantic relationships where high expectations lead to disappointment.

Phrases about the truth

Truth has been a widely discussed question in philosophy since its inception. Nietzsche was no exception; Let’s see what he thought:

21. “Every conviction is a prison.”

When our inflexible beliefs limit our vision and growth, to the point of locking ourselves in a mental prison where we lose the ability to learn.

22. “We have art so as not to die from the truth.”

With this phrase, Nietzsche suggests that the truth is often presented as something unbearable for human beings. In response to harsh reality, turning to art becomes a strategy to deal with it.

23. “Having faith means not wanting to know the truth.”

This statement exposes the tension between faith and objective truth.

24. “What dose of truth can a man endure?”

The thinker reiterates his message, asking the question of how much truth a person can endure before it becomes overwhelming and even destructive.

25. “The inability to lie is very far from the love of the truth.”

Not telling lies does not translate into embracing the truth as something valuable and essential in life.

26. “The real world is much smaller than the world of imagination.”

From his philosophy, objective and tangible reality is limited compared to the vast possibilities of the human mind. That is, our mind has the ability to conceive a much broader and more diverse world than what we perceive in concrete terms.

27. “There are no eternal facts in the same way that there are no absolute truths.”

Nietzsche challenges the idea of ​​absolute truth by pointing out that it is relative and subject to change over time and context.

28. “Convictions are more dangerous enemies of the truth than lies.”

From this phrase the philosopher alerts us again about the rigidity of convictions, which can lead us down dark dead ends.

29. “There are no moral phenomena, but only a moral explanation of the phenomena.”

Morality is a human construction and, therefore, subjective. There are no absolute moral facts but interpretations based on values ​​and beliefs.

30. “The irrationality of a thing is not an argument against its existence, but rather a condition of it.”

The lack of logic of certain things should not lead us to rule out their existence. Irrational aspects are also an authentic part of life.

Shocking phrases about humanity

Let’s review a few phrases from Nietzsche regarding the position of man (understood as humanity) in the world:

31. “Man is above all an animal that judges.”

The distinctive characteristic of human beings is their ability to evaluate and judge. Other than that, he’s an animal.

32. “Man was the one who created God in his image and likeness.”

By claiming that men invented God and gave him attributes similar to their own, the author calls into question the nature of religion.

33. “Man remains the God who has lost himself.”

As religion declines in importance, humans seek meaning and transcendence within themselves.

34. “The worth of a man is measured by the amount of loneliness he endures.”

He emphasizes that the ability to be alone and reflect is an indicator of strength in a person. Those who are not afraid to face their own thoughts and emotions demonstrate great courage.

35. “Monkeys are too good for man to descend from them.”

With an ironic and provocative tone, the thinker comments that men are sometimes so cruel that they surpass the most primitive animals.

36. “The intellectual power of a man is measured by the dose of humor he is capable of using.”

Highlights the importance of humor and satire as indicators of intelligence and critical capacity.

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