I don’t know who first said “whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger” but he probably didn’t experience much hardship in life, or maybe he just lived in denial as he continually failed.
Tell the athlete who rips his ACL that, “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” The Soldier who loses a limb or the child who grew up in an abusive household. Hell, if whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, let’s wish rape upon our sisters and hope that every young man is sexually abused.
“Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger,” was popularized by Nietzsche. We believe it, because we want to believe it. It is a false mantra we use to get us through hard times, but it should never be used as a way of life.
We all have scars that will never heal, and we are definitely not stronger for having them. You must learn to manage these injuries, understand they are part of who you are. Identify your weaknesses and always be aware of how they may cripple you in life. The abused child must always be on the lookout to not become a victim again. The person who is bipolar must be in tune with his emotions that he doesn’t allow the everyday fluctuations to become permanent. The injured athlete must work and train twice as hard just to perform at a basic level.
If you actually lived your life by the creed “Whatever doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger” you will soon be beaten, battered and scarred for life.
