Barbarian Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche
““It is the noble races that have left behind them the concept 'barbarian' wherever they have gone; even their highest culture betrays a consciousness of it and even a pride in it (for example, when Pericles says to the Athenians in his famous funeral oration 'our boldness has gained access to every land and sea, everywhere raising imperishable monuments to its goodness and wickedness "). This 'boldness' of noble races, mad, absurd, and sudden in its expression, the incalculability, even incredibility of their undertakings—Pericles specially commends the rhathymia of the Athenians—their indifference to and contempt for security, body, life, comfort, their hair-raising cheerfulness and profound joy in all destruction, in all the voluptuousness of victory and cruelty—all this came together, in the minds of those who suffered from it, in the image of the 'barbarian,' the 'evil enemy,' perhaps as the 'Goths,' the 'Vandals.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Beyond Good and Evil, 1886
Noble societies glorify conquest and destruction, seeing barbarism as a source of pride and joy, despite its moral cost.
In simple terms: Powerful cultures celebrate violent triumphs.
Key Takeaway
Beware of glorifying violence.
Themes
power
culture
violence
pride
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
historical
When to use this quote
- political analysis
- military ethics
- historical study
- media criticism
Key Concepts
nihilism
historical critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives societies to admire destructive deeds?
- How does this mindset affect modern politics?
A Different Perspective
Such glorification can justify atrocities and ignore suffering.
