--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was suffering and incapacity that…" description: "\"“It was suffering and incapacity that created all afterworlds - this, and that brief madness of bliss which is experienced only by those who suffer dee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/friedrich-nietzsche-15_gods_it-was-suffering-and-incapacity-that-cre_18818.jpg" --- # It was suffering and incapacity that created all… ![“It was suffering and incapacity that created all afterworlds - this, and that brief madness of bliss which is experienced only by those who suffer deeply. Weariness that wants to reach the ultimate with one leap, with one fatal leap, a poor ignorant weariness that does not want to want any more…” quote by Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/friedrich-nietzsche-15_gods_it-was-suffering-and-incapacity-that-cre_18818.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/friedrich-nietzsche-15_gods_it-was-suffering-and-incapacity-that-cre_18818.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/friedrich-nietzsche-15_gods_it-was-suffering-and-incapacity-that-cre_18818.jpg) > ““It was suffering and incapacity that created all afterworlds - this, and that brief madness of bliss which is experienced only by those who suffer deeply. Weariness that wants to reach the ultimate with one leap, with one fatal leap, a poor ignorant weariness that does not want to want any more: this created all gods and afterworlds.”” [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. Suffering and exhaustion drive humanity to imagine transcendental realms and divine beings as a desperate escape from profound pain. **In simple terms:** Pain fuels creation of gods and afterlife concepts. Key Takeaway Despair births metaphysical hope. Themes existentialism nihilism theodicy psychology of belief transcendence despair Mood melancholic introspective somber Type philosophical poetic reflective When to use this quote - grieving individuals - philosophical contemplation - religious rituals - artistic expression Key Concepts suffering human yearning mythmaking spiritual escape Practical Applications - therapy for trauma - literary analysis Questions to Reflect On - Why do humans seek meaning beyond death? - How does suffering shape belief systems? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afterworlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterworlds-390608/) [Afterworlds Brief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterworlds-brief-390609/) [Created Afterworlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-afterworlds-390607/) [Created Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-gods-316424/) [Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods/) [Gods Afterworlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-afterworlds-390606/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redemption/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [Weariness that wants to reach the ultimate with one leap, with one fatal leap, a poor ignorant weariness that does not want to want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/weariness-that-wants-to-reach-the-ultimate-with-one-leap-with-one/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“One of Richard Dawkins’s main God Delusion arguments is that, if God created everything, we would have to ask who created God. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-lennox/one-of-richard-dawkins-s-main-god-delusion-arguments-is-that-if-god/) [John C. Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-lennox/) > [“Man has been evolved and created the gods. Evolved more and decided to destroy all of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-a-zafirov/man-has-been-evolved-and-created-the-gods-evolved-more-and-decided-to/) [Emil A. Zafirov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-a-zafirov/) > [If we go back to the beginning, we shall find that ignorance and fear created the gods; that fancy, enthusiasm, or deceit adorned them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-go-back-to-the-beginning-we-shall-find-that-ignorance-and-fear-2/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Fear created the first gods in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caecilius-statius/fear-created-the-first-gods-in-the-world/) [Caecilius Statius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caecilius-statius/) > [Mankind has been punished long and heavily for having created its gods; nothing but pain and persecution have been man's lot since gods began.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/mankind-has-been-punished-long-and-heavily-for-having-created-its/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“The belief of an infinity of creative and created Gods, each more eminently requiring an intelligent author of his being than the foregoing, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-belief-of-an-infinity-of-creative-and-created-gods-each-more-2/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“...The Devil would not have begun by an open and obvious sin to tempt man into doing something which God had forbidden, had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/the-devil-would-not-have-begun-by-an-open-and-obvious-sin-to-tempt/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [During the youthful period of mankind's spiritual evolution human fantasy created gods in man's own image, who, by the operations of their will were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/during-the-youthful-period-of-mankind-s-spiritual-evolution-human/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“The belief of an infinity of creative and created Gods, each more eminently requiring an intelligent author of his being than the foregoing, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-belief-of-an-infinity-of-creative-and-created-gods-each-more/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“If we go back to the beginning we shall find that ignorance and fear created the gods; that fancy, enthusiasm, or deceit adorned or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach-2/if-we-go-back-to-the-beginning-we-shall-find-that-ignorance-and-fear/) [Baron D. Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach-2/) > [In the beginning of their end, people created their gods and their after-lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-miller/in-the-beginning-of-their-end-people-created-their-gods-and-their/) [Ryan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-miller/) > [Fear first created the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/fear-first-created-the-gods/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [If we go back to the beginnings of things, we shall always find that ignorance and fear created the gods; that imagination, rapture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach/if-we-go-back-to-the-beginnings-of-things-we-shall-always-find-that/) [Baron d'Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach/) > [“During the youthful period of mankind's spiritual evolution human fantasy created gods in man's own image, who, by the operations of their will were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/during-the-youthful-period-of-mankind-s-spiritual-evolution-human-2/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## 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 Gods quotes > [“Is that what they teach you at the convent? That the gods demand the hearts from our bodies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/is-that-what-they-teach-you-at-the-convent-that-the-gods-demand-the/) [Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/) > [What Gods do you believe in? I'll build you a temple of mirrors so you can see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-gibson/what-gods-do-you-believe-in-i-ll-build-you-a-temple-of-mirrors-so-you/) [Andrea Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-gibson/) > [Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/against-stupidity-the-gods-themselves-contend-in-vain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Do you see those dull stars?" She outlined the formation with her finger. "A pentagram," whispered Scott. "Yes, but not just any pentagram. Take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mattie/do-you-see-those-dull-stars-she-outlined-the-formation-with-her/) [Katie Mattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mattie/) > [How do you explain a person like Asha Bhosle? A star or a super star or just someone from the Gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anu-malik/how-do-you-explain-a-person-like-asha-bhosle-a-star-or-a-super-star/) [Anu Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anu-malik/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a man as great as the gods… But even the great can tremble with fear. Even the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-man-as-great-as-the-gods-but-even-the/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“Aeneas' mother is a star?" "No; a goddess." I said cautiously, "Venus is the power that we invoke in spring, in the garden, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/aeneas-mother-is-a-star-no-a-goddess-i-said-cautiously-venus-is-the/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Holy gods. He'd frozen the whole damn lake. He was THAT powerful?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/holy-gods-he-d-frozen-the-whole-damn-lake-he-was-that-powerful/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“The natural gods of men are other men, mythic or real, who embody manhood in men's eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/the-natural-gods-of-men-are-other-men-mythic-or-real-who-embody/) [Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/) > [“Every nation is part of the history we inherit, blacks and whites, slaves and gods; we have no other option, embracing each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/every-nation-is-part-of-the-history-we-inherit-blacks-and-whites/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [It is convenient that there be gods, and, as it is convenient, let us believe there are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-convenient-that-there-be-gods-and-as-it-is-convenient-let-us/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Astrology reveals the will of the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/astrology-reveals-the-will-of-the-gods/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [“Adiyogi’s legacy offers you the licence to believe in the god of your choice, or not to believe at all. And if you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhguru/adiyogi-s-legacy-offers-you-the-licence-to-believe-in-the-god-of-your/) [Sadhguru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhguru/) [Browse all 1,461 Gods quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was suffering and incapacity that created all afterworlds - this, and that brief madness of bliss which is experienced only by those who suffer deeply. 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