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At the bottom of all these noble races the beast of prey, the splendid blond beast, prowling about avidly in search of spoil and victory.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Nietzsche emphasizes the primal instincts that drive humanity beneath refined characteristics.

This quote by Friedrich Nietzsche reflects on the inherent animalistic instincts present in humanity, suggesting that beneath the surface of civility and nobility, there lurks a natural beast driven by the desire for dominance and success. Nietzsche often explored themes of power and instinct in his philosophy, and this statement serves to remind us that despite our noble pursuits, a more primal nature often influences our actions, particularly in the pursuit of victory and achievement.

Themes

Human NatureInstinctPowerVictoryPhilosophy

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the nature of competition in sports, this quote can highlight the primal instincts that drive athletes.

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Watch them clamber, these swift monkeys! They clamber over one another and thus drag one another into the mud and the depth. They all want to get to the throne: that is their madness β€” as if happiness sat on the throne. Often, mud sits on the throne β€” and often the throne also on mud. Mad they all appear to me, clambering monkeys and overardent. Foul smells their idol, the cold monster: foul, they smell to me altogether, these idolators.
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The anarchist and the Christian have a common origin.
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Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche | QuoteProject