The phrase “ stare into the abyss ” has been subject to many interpretations. Learn the meaning and origin of the phrase stare into the abyss, which w arns about the potential for evil to corrupt us when we face it. There are many different variations of this phrase, some of which we’ve collected below: He who fights with monsters might tak. What is evil to one at one time, becomes. (joseph campbell) 2. Here are some examples: · nietzsche seems to mean that if your highest value is truth and you pursue it at the expense of everything else, you risk encountering truths that cause you to question the value of life. Prelude to a philosophy of the future: Stare into the abyss long enough, the abyss stares back. · when you stare into the abyss and the abyss stares back, it means that when you focus on darkness or negativity, it can start to affect you and change your perspective. When you stare into the abyss , the abyss stares back. Stare into the abyss and the abyss stares back. Prelude to a philosophy of the future (1886), chapter iv. It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. And if you gaze for long into an abyss , the abyss gazes also into you. - nietzsche (beyond good and evil: It is a privilege of the strong. In essence what nietzsche is saying is that the moralists of the christian tradition, who identify so deeply with suffering, only end up exacerbating the problem theyre trying to solve. The expression reminds us that when we face evil, we must be aware of the potential for evil that resides in all of us. Since “ stare into the abyss ” warns about the potential triumph of evil if we engage with it for too long, opposite phrases would speak to the triumph of good over evil. Independence is for the very few; And whoever attempts it even with the best right but without inner constraint proves that he is probably not only strong, but also daring to the point of recklessness. There is no denying that there is evil in this world, but the light will always con. By staring into it for too long, you drain your own strength and feeling of aliveness. The phrase “ stare into the abyss ” is not meant to be taken literally. See full list on grammarhow. com Figuratively, however, this phrase may mean to introspect about the dark parts residing in all humans and inspect the voids inside of each of us more closely. · walter kaufmanns translation: The greatest evil that one has to fight constantly, every minute of the day until one dies, is the worst part of oneself. Human beings are complicated, multifaceted creatures, with many la. · ‘stare into the abyss’ means ‘ let your mind drift to dark thoughts and places. ’ it generally refers to thinking about things that are uncomfortable or difficult to consider. Find out how philosophers, writers and speakers have used this metaphor and its variations. An abyss is literally a bottomless hole or void. “ stare into the abyss ” is a shortened form of the full quote, “ stare into the abyss and the abyss stares back at you ”. This could be social, political, or personal evil. Despite our good intentions, if we gaze evil in th. If to “ stare into the abyss ” means to confront the evil both around us and inside of us, a similar quote must reflect the same sentiment. This longer version of the expression is a rewording of the original quote by friedrich nietzsche, which comes from his 1886 text beyond good and evil: Rather, it should be used in a figurative sense to implore others to introspect about the darkness inside them. As such, it should not be treated like an instruction to find the nearest hole and stare into it indefinitely. (patrick mcgoohan) 2. When you look into the abyss , the abyss looks back at you. The phrase “ stare into the abyss ” is most appropriate in a context where someone is attempting to confront an evil of some kind.