Why Nietzsche Didn't HATE the Stoics (It's Complicated)

WATCH: Nietzsche Explained: Beyond Good and Evil (all parts):
   • NIETZSCHE Explained: Beyond Good and ...  

Stoicism is becoming increasingly popular as a philosophy of life in the 21st century. Yet, another popular philosopher, Nietzsche, seems to take a big stand against Stoicism most notably in a famous passage in Beyond Good and Evil. The Stoic is accused of hypocrisy, of arguing in circles, and of denying life itself.

Yet this is not the whole picture. Aside from the famous passage in Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche is more nuanced in other works, most notably The Gay Science (The Joyous Science) and his little-known work Daybreak.

In this video we take a look at Nietzsche's writings on Stoicism. We take a deeper look at a disturbing passage in Epictetus's Enchiridion, and we try to clear the fog a little bit: did Nietzsche hate the Stoics, or not? It will be seen that Nietzsche's view is more nuanced although he does have big problems with the Stoic philosophy.

Would Nietzsche prefer Caesar over Marcus Aurelius? Probably. Did he HATE Marcus Aurelius? Probably not.