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"Many lips have uttered the phrase 'What does not kill me makes me stronger,' but what meaning was intended from this utterance, this well-worn phrase, this cliché of strength?"
From Arthur C. Imperial's new book:
Will to Strength: Interpretations of Nietzsche's "What Does Not Kill Me Makes Me Stronger"
About Will to Strength
Few realize that the oft-quoted phrase, “What does not kill me makes me stronger,” originates with the philosopher-artist Friedrich Nietzsche. But what does it truly mean to become stronger? What happens when we move beyond the famed cliché?
In Will to Strength, Imperial explores the radical possibilities of Nietzsche’s concept of strength through the lives and works of three historical exemplars: the aesthetic militant Yukio Mishima, the revolutionary psychiatrist Frantz Fanon, and the Holocaust survivor Viktor E. Frankl.
Through their intense journeys of suffering, the struggles of these figures are interpreted as expressions of distinct “styles” of strength—physical, linguistic, and existential—challenging the reader to view strength not as a static trait but as a dynamic, cyclical, and deeply human process of becoming—what the author reconceives as the "will to strength."
At a time when strength risks being reduced to a caricature, dismissed as a cliché, or rendered completely meaningless, this book reclaims its complexity and urgency, offering numerous interpretive provocations on what it means to become stronger. Whether you find Nietzsche’s words inspiring, perplexing, or passé, this book will leave you rethinking the very nature of strength.
Preview Chapter 1 of Will to Strength
About the Author
"Late in life, I found myself surrounded by ardent activists, brilliant academics, and soulful artists who offered me their creative and critical perspectives on the world.
While many could eloquently express their suffering under different systems of power, they were often challenged to articulate an understanding of strength outside a reactive framework of resentment.
In search of my own affirmative meaning of strength, and inspired by Nietzsche’s call 'to live dangerously,' I left my university teaching position to complete this book. My hope is that it inspires in you a resilient feeling of strength capable of overcoming all resistances."
Arthur Imperial is a Filipino-Canadian author and educator based in Toronto, where he writes at the intersection of philosophy, narrative politics, and art. He has taught at the University of Toronto, York University, and McMaster University. Beyond academia, he trains in mixed martial arts and composes music under the alias “Art Imperial.”
Reimagining Strength:
A 5-Part Course with Arthur C. Imperial
Interested in exploring Will to Strength on a deeper, more personal level?
I’m offering a personalized 5-part course that delves into the core themes of the book: Nietzsche’s philosophy of strength, the exemplars who embody it, and what it means to cultivate your own style of strength.
Together, we’ll move beyond passive reading into active interpretation. This course invites you to reflect critically and creatively on your own experiences of resistance and becoming.
You’ll be challenged to (re)define what strength means in your life and begin curating and composing your own grand style of strength.
This is an intimate, one-on-one offering for those ready to think critically, overcome resistances, and ultimately, to become stronger.
To learn more, contact me below.