"The great epochs of our life are the occasions when we gain the courage to rebaptize our evil qualities as our best qualities"

Friedrich Nietzsche’s reflection draws attention to the transformative power of self-acceptance and reinterpretation of the self. Commonly, individuals are burdened with aspects of their character or tendencies that are deemed negative, shameful, or ‘evil’ by societal or personal standards. Nietzsche’s wisdom suggests that the pivotal moments, the “great epochs”, in a person’s life occur not when circumstances favor them, but when they muster the inner courage to view their so-called flaws through a new lens.

Rebaptism evokes a sense of renewal and redefinition. By “rebaptizing” one's evil qualities, one does not simply excuse or ignore them. Instead, it involves a conscious, courageous act: recognizing that traits long suppressed or maligned might, in a different context or through a different attitude, become sources of strength, creativity, or authenticity. Qualities such as stubbornness might be seen as determination, cynicism might transform into discernment, and sensitivity might become profound empathy. The process is less about moral justification than about integrating the whole self, refusing to divide inner experience into only good or bad.

Nietzsche challenges the prevailing moral binary, urging individuals to question the origins of their value judgments and to take ownership of their identity construction. The “courage” he describes is crucial, for such self-redefinition requires breaking away from norms and risking disapproval. Yet, through this process, individuals can become more complete, living authentically rather than out of fear or conformity. Only by this radical embrace can one fully harness their potential, transcending guilt and self-recrimination.

Nietzsche’s insight thus encourages the reader to see life’s turning points not as external events but as inner revolutions: the moments when one dares to reclaim and reintegrate even the shadowy aspects of the self, thereby unlocking a more powerful, self-affirmed existence.