Who doesn’t like those small, catchy nuggets of wisdom captured in quotes from different thinkers of human history? Admittedly, they are not quite as popular as cat videos, but they are a worthy equivalent in the world of wisdom literature. For example, I am sure many have heard Nietzsche’s bold statement, “God is dead“. But what did he actually mean? And can a short quote deliver the whole (or, at least, the essence) of deep thought and reflection a philosopher put into these few words that we read? What about the context of the time and culture?

In his recent article on the 5 of the most misunderstood quotes in philosophy, Oxford’s philosophy teacher Jonny Thomson explores some of the best-known wisdom quotes and how they are often misunderstood. I especially enjoyed the ending of the article. The very last sentence itself deserves to be spread as a thought-provoking quote. Enjoy!

Keeping up the “Spreading the Word” tradition, I hope to share an insightful and thought-provoking article or video every weekend. I feel it is essential to care for our physical and mental well-being. Humans have always turned and returned to storytelling to find meaning. My weekends’ “Spreading the Word” posts are an online version of sharing meaningful stories.   

keep exploring and storytelling!