Philosophers
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
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We're preparing the Philosophers posters. Check back soon, or explore the rest meanwhile.
About Philosophers
Philosopher posters: Nietzsche, Socrates, Camus, Ibn Khaldun and Dostoevsky, pop-art portraits and typewriter quotes. Heavy ideas in clear letters.
'What does not kill me makes me stronger.' Everyone knows the line; far fewer know where it comes from. A philosophy quote poster puts an idea that has outlived its author on your wall, so it can nudge you every time you walk past. The one rule: quote it right.
Lines and their real sources
- Nietzsche wrote 'What does not kill me makes me stronger' in 'Twilight of the Idols', written in 1888. The same book adds: if we have our own why in life, we can get along with almost any how.
- Socrates, as reported in Plato's 'Apology': the unexamined life is not worth living.
- Descartes, in the 'Discourse on the Method' (1637): 'I think, therefore I am.'
- Camus ends 'The Myth of Sisyphus' (1942) with: 'One must imagine Sisyphus happy.'
- Ibn Khaldun, born in Tunis in 1332, wrote the 'Muqaddimah'. One of its chapters carries a famous title: the vanquished are always eager to imitate the victor, in dress, customs and beliefs. Six centuries on, it still explains a lot about trends and who we copy.
Designing a philosophy quote poster
Philosophers suit a classical look: engraved portraits, marble busts, aged paper and serif lettering. For something more current, try a two-colour graphic portrait with a short quote in large type. Ibn Khaldun's statue on Avenue Habib Bourguiba in the heart of Tunis shows how a thinker can become the face of a whole city.
Hanging ideas
- Thinkers' gallery: three portraits in a row above a desk or bookcase.
- East meets West: Ibn Khaldun facing Nietzsche, a ready-made conversation starter.
- Complete the wall: add Stoicism or Arabic Wisdom prints.
Browse the full range in Aura & Quotes.
