Die Hoffnung ist in Wahrheit das übelste der Übel, weil sie die… — Friedrich Nietzsche | Printable Wall Art

“Die Hoffnung ist in Wahrheit das übelste der Übel, weil sie die Qual der Menschen verlängert.”
“Hope is in truth the most evil of evils, because it prolongs the torment of man.”

Words by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) — German philosopher.

About this quote

Friedrich Nietzsche challenges the conventional view of hope as a comforting virtue. Drawing on the ancient myth of Pandora, he suggests that hope is actually a cruel deception. By encouraging people to endure suffering in the expectation of future relief, it stops them from accepting harsh realities or taking decisive action. Consequently, hope merely draws out human misery rather than relieving it.

This aphorism appears in Friedrich Nietzsche's 1878 book, Human, All Too Human. In section 71, he offers a psychological reinterpretation of the ancient Greek Pandora myth, examining how hope functions to keep suffering humanity alive.

People often display this in a quiet study or home library as a thought-provoking prompt for critical thinking.

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