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Of all writings I love only that which is written with blood. Write with blood: and you will discover that blood is spirit.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the depth and passion required in writing, suggesting that true expression comes from one's very essence.

Friedrich Nietzsche highlights the idea that authentic writing stems from profound personal experience and emotional intensity. By metaphorically suggesting that one should 'write with blood,' he implies that true artistry and meaningful expression emerge when an individual pours their soul and deepest feelings into their work. This process not only reveals the true nature of the writer but also resonates with readers on a spiritual level, as it encapsulates the essence of one's being.

Themes

WritingBloodSpiritExpressionAuthenticity

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about creativity, I quoted Nietzsche to emphasize the importance of genuine expression.

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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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