Conan the Nietzschean… Way to go, Conan.

The quote is taken from Twilight of the Idols (Die Götzen-Dämmerung, 1895). It’s the 8th maxim from the section “Maxims and arrows” (the very first section of the book, after the preface). Here is a slightly different translation : “Out of life’s school of war: What does not destroy me, makes me stronger.” (tr. by Walter Kaufmann and R.J. Hollingdale here).

I can’t find the exact source for this quote. It’s been used on posters, t-shirts and bags, just like the Che icon. Wouldn’t be necessary to share Einsteins’ level of knowledge for one to fully appreciate it? Or, to put it another way, what does it mean to quote Einstein on this matter when one knows little?

Read Bouveresse’s excerpt on the power of imagination today [French].