Weakness is in demand—why?... mostly because people cannot…
““Weakness is in demand—why?... mostly because people cannot be anything else than weak. Weakening considered a duty: The weakening of the desires, of the feelings of pleasure and of pain, of the will to power, of the will to pride, to property and to more property; weakening in the form of humility; weakening in the form of a belief; weakening in the form of repugnance and shame in the presence of all that is natural—in the form of a denial of life, in the form of illness and chronic feebleness; weakening in the form of a refusal to take revenge, to offer resistance, to become an enemy, and to show anger.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote critiques how societies label self‑restraint, humility, and denial of natural impulses as virtues, equating them with weakness and a loss of vitality.
In simple terms: Society calls natural self‑control weakness, draining life.
Key Takeaway
Question the value of imposed humility.
Themes
philosophy
psychology
power
morality
human nature
Mood
reflective
critical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- personal development
- social critique
- ethical debates
- cultural analysis
Key Concepts
Nietzschean critique of morality
will to power
self‑overcoming
Questions to Reflect On
- What impulses do you suppress for social acceptance?
- When does restraint become strength?
A Different Perspective
It ignores that some restraint can protect others and foster cooperation.