Those who know that they are profound strive for clarity. Those who would like to seem profound to the crowd strive for obscurity. For the crowd beli… - Friedrich Nietzsche

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Engraved portrait of Friedrich Nietzsche, facing right

Those who know that they are profound strive for clarity. Those who would like to seem profound to the crowd strive for obscurity. For the crowd believes that if it cannot see to the bottom of something it must be profound. It is so timid and dislikes going into the water.

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About Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, cultural critic, composer, poet, writer, and philologist whose work has exerted a profound influence on modern intellectual history. His critiques of contemporary culture, religion, and philosophy centered on a basic question regarding the foundation of values and morality.

Biography information from Wikiquote · Portrait adapted from Wikimedia Commons, Friedrich Hermann Hartmann (Public domain / CC0)

Also Known As

Alternative Names: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche Nietzsche

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Shorter versions of this quote

Whoever knows he is deep, strives for clarity; whoever would like to appear deep to the crowd, strives for obscurity. For the crowd considers anything deep if only it cannot see to the bottom: the crowd is so timid and afraid of going into the water.

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Everything in woman is a riddle, and everything in woman
hath one solution — it is called pregnancy.
Man is for woman a means: the purpose is always the
child. But what is woman for man?
Two different things wanted the true man: danger and
diversion. Therefore wanted he woman, as the most dangerous plaything.
Man shall be trained for war, and woman for the recreation of the warrior: all else is folly.
Too sweet fruits — these the warrior like not. Therefore like he woman; — bitter is even the sweetest woman.
Better than man doth woman understand children, but
man is more childish than woman.
In the true man there is a child hidden: it wanted to
play. Up then, ye women, and discover the child in man!

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