Day 16 · Q1: Self-Knowledge · January 16, 2026
Pause. Breathe. Begin.
I . L E C T I O
Friedrich Nietzsche
Beyond Good and Evil, §146
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.”
C O N T E X T
Nietzsche published this in 1886. This passage warns that self-examination can become its own trap — that looking too deeply into darkness can transform the looker. It is a necessary counterweight to the Socratic imperative.
I I . M E D I T A T I O
“Has your pursuit of self-knowledge ever led you to a dark place? How did you return?”
I I I . S C R I P T I O
Write one sentence about a time when seeking truth about yourself felt dangerous.
I V . C O N N E X I O
Nietzsche offers a warning that none of our previous thinkers gave: self-knowledge has risks. Does this contradict Socrates, or complete him?
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Sustain it →Tomorrow's passage, delivered at dawn.