Connor McRoberts
1/16/25
Phil 401 Reading Question
On page 960 Nietzsche says “Apart from the fact that I am a decadent, I am also the opposite.”
At glance this quote is a logical contradiction, how can you be both X and not X. Further down
the page he describes a person who has ‘turned out well’ some of the traits including an ability to
exploit adverse situations, a rejection of misfortune and guilt, and an instinct for selecting what is
beneficial. He ends the section with “Well then, I am the opposite of a decadent, for I have just
described myself.” How do we interpret this contradiction Nietzsche gave us? Is he attempting to
give a deeper philosophical insight into the human condition, strength and weakness, or is it
more about his personal transformation?