"Genteel women suppose that those things do not really exist about which it is impossible to talk in polite company"
- Friedrich Nietzsche
About this Quote
Friedrich Nietzsche is slamming the idea that "genteel ladies," who are usually viewed as fine-tuned and cultured, believe that any topic that can not be discussed in courteous business does not really exist. He is suggesting that this belief is narrow-minded and neglects the true intricacies of reality. He might be indicating that these females are too concerned with social appearances and good manners, instead of engaging with challenging ideas and problems.
"What is real is not the external form, but the essence of things... it is impossible for anyone to express anything essentially real by imitating its exterior surface"