--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Neither Kierkegaard nor Nietzsche had the…" description: "\"Neither Kierkegaard nor Nietzsche had the slightest interest in starting a movement – or a new system, a thought which would indeed have offended them...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cac/rollo-may-1295_interest_neither-kierkegaard-nor-nietzsche-had-th_2526784.jpg" --- # Neither Kierkegaard nor Nietzsche had the slightest… ![“Neither Kierkegaard nor Nietzsche had the slightest interest in starting a movement – or a new system, a thought which would indeed have offended them. Both proclaimed, in Nietzsche's phrase, Follow not me, but you!” quote by Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cac/rollo-may-1295_interest_neither-kierkegaard-nor-nietzsche-had-th_2526784.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cac/rollo-may-1295_interest_neither-kierkegaard-nor-nietzsche-had-th_2526784.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cac/rollo-may-1295_interest_neither-kierkegaard-nor-nietzsche-had-th_2526784.jpg) > “Neither Kierkegaard nor Nietzsche had the slightest interest in starting a movement – or a new system, a thought which would indeed have offended them. Both proclaimed, in Nietzsche's phrase, Follow not me, but you!” [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that thinkers like Kierkegaard and Nietzsche opposed forming movements or systems, preferring individual responsibility over collective identity. **In simple terms:** They rejected leading movements, urging personal action instead. Key Takeaway Embrace personal responsibility, not group identity. Themes individualism responsibility philosophy leadership Mood reflective critical Type philosophical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - personal development - leadership training - activism - academic discourse Key Concepts existentialism authenticity anti‑collectivism Questions to Reflect On - Do you prioritize personal agency over collective action? - How does this view affect your leadership style? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize their complex philosophies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nietzsche/) ## Related quotes > [“Powerlessness became 'goodness', baseness 'humility', submission to people one hated 'obedience' and, in Nietzsche's phrase, "not-being-able to-take-revenge' turned into 'forgiveness'. 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Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-gerber/) > [I didn't study English literature - I studied philosophy at university - so Kierkegaard, Nietzsche - these people are among the most important writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-didn-t-study-english-literature-i-studied-philosophy-at-university/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [“Because it is possible to create — creating one’s self, willing to be one’s self, as well as creating in all the innumerable daily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/because-it-is-possible-to-create-creating-one-s-self-willing-to-be-2/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [What Kierkegaard said about love is also true of creativity: every person must start at the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/what-kierkegaard-said-about-love-is-also-true-of-creativity-every/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Science, Nietzsche had warned, is becoming a factory, and the result will be ethical nihilism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/science-nietzsche-had-warned-is-becoming-a-factory-and-the-result/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“We in our age are faced with a strange paradox. 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And how could I own anything? After all, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/i-am-poor-you-are-my-riches-dark-you-are-my-light-i-own-nothing-need/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) ## More by Rollo May > [Human freedom involves our capacity to pause between the stimulus and response and, in that pause, to choose the one response toward which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/human-freedom-involves-our-capacity-to-pause-between-the-stimulus-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Political freedom is to be cherished indeed. 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His capacity for ethical judgment like freedom, reason and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/man-is-the-ethical-animal-ethical-in-potentiality-even-if/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-opposite-of-courage-in-our-society-is-not-cowardice-it-is/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) [Explore all 259 Rollo May quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## More Interest quotes > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. 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