"Who will attain anything great if he does not find in himself the strength and the will to inflict great suffering?" (Gay Science, 325)
According to Friedrich Nietzsche, one of the characteristics of the great individual is not only the ability but also the willingness to make other people suffer.
This is often used as one of the main criticisms against Nietzsche, and I would say rightfully so.
I think it is important to note that, for Nietzsche, the great individual isn’t necessarily a morally good individual.
However, this time I want to try to make the case that this characteristic of Nietzschean greatness, the willingness to inflict suffering, can also be present in individuals who are morally good, or at least aren’t evil or malevolent.
And in order to do this, besides looking more closely into Nietzsche’s writing, I would like to present a modern, real-life example of a Nietzschean great individual.
First, let’s pay a bit closer attention to what Nietzsche actually said about the great individual inflicting suffering on others.
The quote above is usually presented in its entirety and without any context, as it is often the case with Nietzsche.
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