Contempt Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche
““The whole attitude of 'man against the world', of man as a 'world-negating' principle, of a man as the measure of the value of things, as judge of the world who places existence itself on his scales and finds it too light - the monstrous stupidity of this attitude has finally dawned on us and we are sick of it; we laugh as soon as we encounter the juxtaposition of 'man and world', separated by the sublime presumptuosness of the little word 'and!' But by laughing, haven't we simply taken contempt for man one step further?””
About This Quote
Source Book: Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Nietzsche, 1886
The quote critiques humanity’s tendency to view itself as the ultimate arbiter of value, exposing the absurdity and arrogance of placing human judgment above existence.
In simple terms: Humans think they can judge everything, but that’s foolish.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of human ego.
Themes
philosophy
ego
existence
humility
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- personal reflection
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
nihilism
anthropocentrism
existential critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How does seeing yourself as a judge affect your choices?
- Can humility coexist with responsibility?
A Different Perspective
The view can be defended as empowering human agency.
![“[T]here is a vast difference in the attitude of a man with a gun in his hand and that of one without a gun in his hand. When a man does not have a gun in his hand, or a woman for the matter, he or she tries harder to use his or her mind, sense of compassion, and intelligence to work out a solution.” quote by Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3b0/aung-san-suu-kyi-922_amendment_t-here-is-a-vast-difference-in-the-attit_2308529.jpg)
![“Every person of any rank in the left, from voter on up to cabinet member to elected official in the Democrat Party, has contempt. We [Republicans] are the number one enemy. And they will put aside whatever differences they have.” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/08a/rush-limbaugh-28_cabinets_every-person-of-any-rank-in-the-left-fro_29974.jpg){kind=icon}