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But he who is hated by the people, as the wolf by the dogs - is the free spirit, the enemy of fetters, the non-adorer, the dweller in the woods.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that those who are misunderstood or rejected by society often embody true freedom and individuality.

Friedrich Nietzsche articulates a stark contrast between societal acceptance and the state of being a 'free spirit.' He likens such an individual to a wolf, which is detested by dogs, to highlight how those who defy societal norms or expectations are often ostracized. This encapsulates Nietzsche's belief that true individuality and freedom often come with rejection and isolation from conventional society, portraying the free spirit as one who embraces solitude and self-authenticity.

Themes

FreedomIndividualitySocietyRejectionPhilosophy

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a discussion about art and the artist's role in society.

More from Friedrich Nietzsche

Christianity remains to this day the greatest misfortune of humanity.
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That which does not kill us makes us stronger.
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Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.
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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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Reason is the cause of our falsification of the evidence of the senses. In so far as the senses show becoming, passing away, change, they do not lie.
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The anarchist and the Christian have a common origin.
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