“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” Twilight of the Idols (1889) Affirms meaning as the antidote to suffering, later popularized by Viktor Frankl.
“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.” The Gay Science (1882) Declares the collapse of transcendent meaning and the crisis of nihilism in modernity.
“What does not kill me makes me stronger.” Twilight of the Idols Celebrates adversity as the forge of resilience and self-mastery.
“Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster; and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” Beyond Good and Evil (1886) Warns of moral corruption in the pursuit of power or vengeance.
“No one is more inferior than those who insist on being equal.” Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883–1885) Critiques egalitarianism as a suppression of human excellence.
“In heaven, all the interesting people are missing.” The Antichrist (1888) Mocks religious morality as a denial of life’s complexity and vitality.
“There are no facts, only interpretations.” Will to Power (posthumous) Undermines objective truth, emphasizing perspective as the foundation of reality.
“Become who you are.” The Gay Science Urges self-creation over conformity to societal or inherited identities.
“The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.” Attributed to Nietzsche (paraphrased) Champions individualism against the tyranny of collective norms.
“One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star.” Thus Spoke Zarathustra Posits creativity and genius as born from inner turmoil and contradiction.