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Among human beings there is no greater banality than death. Second in order, because it is possible to die without being born, comes birth, and next comes marriage.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Nietzsche suggests that death is a common and trivial aspect of human existence, followed closely by birth and marriage.

In this quote, Nietzsche reflects on the commonplace nature of significant life events such as death, birth, and marriage, indicating that these experiences are often taken for granted and seen as banal. He presents a philosophical view on how these fundamental aspects of life are regarded as standard occurrences, exploring the implications of their inevitability and the lack of profound appreciation for them in the human experience.

Themes

DeathBirthMarriageBanalityHuman Experience

In practice

Example use cases

During a philosophical discussion on life and death.

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