--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of what is great one must either be…" description: "\"Of what is great one must either be silent or speak with greatness. With greatness--that means cynically and with innocence.\" — Friedrich Nietzsche" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/friedrich-nietzsche-15_greatness_of-what-is-great-one-must-either-be-sile_176423.jpg" --- # Of what is great one must either be silent or speak with… ![“Of what is great one must either be silent or speak with greatness. With greatness--that means cynically and with innocence.” quote by Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/friedrich-nietzsche-15_greatness_of-what-is-great-one-must-either-be-sile_176423.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/friedrich-nietzsche-15_greatness_of-what-is-great-one-must-either-be-sile_176423.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/friedrich-nietzsche-15_greatness_of-what-is-great-one-must-either-be-sile_176423.jpg) > “Of what is great one must either be silent or speak with greatness. With greatness--that means cynically and with innocence.” [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. One must either remain silent or speak profoundly, balancing cynicism with innocence when addressing greatness. **In simple terms:** Speak wisely or stay quiet about greatness. Key Takeaway Choose thoughtful expression over empty words. Themes speech greatness cynicism innocence silence Mood thoughtful philosophical Type inspirational advice When to use this quote - public speaking - debate - personal conviction Key Concepts philosophy communication authenticity Questions to Reflect On - When should you stay silent versus speak? - How can innocence soften cynicism? A Different Perspective Cynicism can alienate listeners if not tempered. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) ## Related quotes > [The great silent majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-great-silent-majority/) [Richard M. 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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 Greatness quotes > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Every man who is high up likes to think that he has done it all himself, and the wife smiles and lets it go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-who-is-high-up-likes-to-think-that-he-has-done-it-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. 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