--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 381 On the question of being…" description: "\"“381 On the question of being understandable.— One does not only wish to be understood when one writes; one wishes just as surely not to be understood...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/friedrich-nietzsche-15_books_381-on-the-question-of-being-understanda_2174090.jpg" --- # 381 On the question of being understandable.— One does not… ![“381 On the question of being understandable.— One does not only wish to be understood when one writes; one wishes just as surely not to be understood. It is not by any means necessarily an objection to a book when anyone finds it impossible to understand: perhaps that was part of the author’s…” quote by Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/friedrich-nietzsche-15_books_381-on-the-question-of-being-understanda_2174090.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/friedrich-nietzsche-15_books_381-on-the-question-of-being-understanda_2174090.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/friedrich-nietzsche-15_books_381-on-the-question-of-being-understanda_2174090.jpg) > ““381 On the question of being understandable.— One does not only wish to be understood when one writes; one wishes just as surely not to be understood. It is not by any means necessarily an objection to a book when anyone finds it impossible to understand: perhaps that was part of the author’s intention—he did not want to be understood by just “anybody.” All the nobler spirits and tastes select their audience when they wish to communicate; and choosing that, one at the same time erects barriers against “the others.” All the more subtle laws of any style have their origin at this point: they at the same time keep away, create a distance, forbid “entrance,” understanding, as said above—while they open the ears of those whose ears are related to ours.”” [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nietzsche argues that some writers deliberately craft obscure works to filter their audience, creating a barrier that only like minds can cross. **In simple terms:** Writers may write to be misunderstood to select a specific audience. Key Takeaway Embrace purposeful complexity to attract the right readers. Themes elitism communication audience selection literary style Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - academic analysis - literary criticism - creative writing workshops - philosophical discussions Key Concepts existentialism intentional obscurity audience curation Questions to Reflect On - What audience do you wish to reach? - How does intentional ambiguity affect comprehension? A Different Perspective Obscurity can alienate potential readers and limit impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Question Understandable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-understandable-4666730/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Understanding Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding-said-2327463/) [Understood Writes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood-writes-2588005/) [Want Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-understood-259074/) ## Related quotes > [“One not only wants to be understood when one writes, but also quite as certainly not to be understood. It is by no means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/one-not-only-wants-to-be-understood-when-one-writes-but-also-quite-as/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [one does not only wish to be understood when one writes; one wishes just as surely not to be understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/one-does-not-only-wish-to-be-understood-when-one-writes-one-wishes/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The difficult thing isn't living with other people, it's understanding them, said the doctor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-difficult-thing-isn-t-living-with-other-people-it-s-understanding-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why don’t you tell me your name?” “No.” “Very well. Your rank?” “What would a woman understand of rank?” “What does my sex have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-franklin/why-don-t-you-tell-me-your-name-no-very-well-your-rank-what-would-a/) [Michelle Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-franklin/) > [“Sunil and Abdul sat together more often than before, but when they spoke, it was with the curious formality of people who shared the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/sunil-and-abdul-sat-together-more-often-than-before-but-when-they/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [There were several ways of understanding her: there was what she said, and there was what she meant, and there was something between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/there-were-several-ways-of-understanding-her-there-was-what-she-said/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“Now I understand why you grow so many flowers." She shifted her head, not understanding. I said, "To cover the stink of sulphur.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/now-i-understand-why-you-grow-so-many-flowers-she-shifted-her-head/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“We have to listen to understand in the same way we want to be understood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-have-to-listen-to-understand-in-the-same-way-we-want-to-be/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I don't believe for a minute that women really want to be understood by men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pearson/i-don-t-believe-for-a-minute-that-women-really-want-to-be-understood/) [Allison Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pearson/) > [If you want to be rich, be generous. If you want to make friends, be friendly. If you want to be heard, listen. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-want-to-be-rich-be-generous-if-you-want-to-make-friends-be/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [True Love Always Running BackSide With Us, But We Don't Want To Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/true-love-always-running-backside-with-us-but-we-don-t-want-to/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“– THE 6 WAYS TO COMMUNICATE YOUR FEELINGS –   Relationship-Attractors:   Men want to be understood, just as you do. If you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-altman/the-6-ways-to-communicate-your-feelings-relationship-attractors-men/) [Alex Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-altman/) > [“if you want to be understood ...Listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/if-you-want-to-be-understood-listen/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“It’s like I’ve said before, you can’t possibly walk a mile in my shoes, or anyone else’s. They don’t fit, and you would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-lombardo/it-s-like-i-ve-said-before-you-can-t-possibly-walk-a-mile-in-my-shoes/) [Rebecca Lombardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-lombardo/) > [Most people who seem angry all the time simply want to be understood, without being misjudged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-people-who-seem-angry-all-the-time-simply-want-to-be-understood/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Friedrich Nietzsche > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“79. A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/79-a-soul-which-knows-that-it-is-loved-but-does-not-itself-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We deceive ourselves when giving respect to the person for whom we have surrendered ourselves, when we respectively expect them to be as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/we-deceive-ourselves-when-giving-respect-to-the-person-for-whom-we/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The great periods of our life occur when we gain the courage to rechristen what is bad about us as what is best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-great-periods-of-our-life-occur-when-we-gain-the-courage-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“What is life? Life - that is: continually shedding something that wants to die. Life - that is: being cruel and inexorable against everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/what-is-life-life-that-is-continually-shedding-something-that-wants/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“he does not wear a twitching, mobile, human face, but rather a mask, as it were, with its features in dignified equilibrium; he does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-does-not-wear-a-twitching-mobile-human-face-but-rather-a-mask-as/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many it is almost a vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/chastity-is-a-virtue-with-some-but-with-many-it-is-almost-a-vice/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The earth is like the breasts of a woman: useful as well as pleasing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-earth-is-like-the-breasts-of-a-woman-useful-as-well-as-pleasing/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Of all that is written I love only what a man has written in his own blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/of-all-that-is-written-i-love-only-what-a-man-has-written-in-his-own/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [No shepherd and one herd! Everybody wants the same, everybody is the same: whoever feels different goes voluntarily into a madhouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/no-shepherd-and-one-herd-everybody-wants-the-same-everybody-is-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Pain makes hens and poets cackle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/pain-makes-hens-and-poets-cackle/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Explore all 3,486 Friedrich Nietzsche quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“381 On the question of being understandable.— One does not only wish to be understood when one writes; one wishes just as surely not to be understood. It is not by any means necessarily an objection to a book when anyone finds it impossible to understand: perhaps that was part of the author’s intention—he did not want to be understood by just “anybody.” All the nobler spirits and tastes select their audience when they wish to communicate; and choosing that, one at the same time erects barriers against “the others.” All the more subtle laws of any style have their origin at this point: they at the same time keep away, create a distance, forbid “entrance,” understanding, as said above—while they open the ears of those whose ears are related to ours.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Friedrich Nietzsche" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/381-on-the-question-of-being-understandable-one-does-not-only-wish-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/381-on-the-question-of-being-understandable-one-does-not-only-wish-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/friedrich-nietzsche-15_books_381-on-the-question-of-being-understanda_2174090.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/friedrich-nietzsche-15_books_381-on-the-question-of-being-understanda_2174090.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/friedrich-nietzsche-15_books_381-on-the-question-of-being-understanda_2174090.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“381 On the question of being understandable.— One does not only wish to be understood when one writes; one…” — Friedrich Nietzsche", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Friedrich Nietzsche", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“381 On the question of being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/381-on-the-question-of-being-understandable-one-does-not-only-wish-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/381-on-the-question-of-being-understandable-one-does-not-only-wish-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```