"This Is What Losers Do Instead Of Failing”
In a Nutshell
People who fail at external success often cope by redefining success around internal virtue and morality, creating an "inner citadel" that shields them from facing their shortcomings. This slave morality manifests as resentment toward achievement, claims that money or relationships don't matter, or ideologies like polyamory that reframe personal failures as enlightened choices. External success won't solve all internal problems, but avoiding pursuit of it through moral superiority is still a coping mechanism rather than genuine wisdom.
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Nietzsche believed that poor and middle class people, not all but some, become obsessed with morality and virtue when they fail to achieve external success such as money, a good wife, or a nice house. Unable to attain the life they want, they shift the goalpost from external success to internal virtue, which they define themselves. This creates a free copout where instead of winning in life, they claim "I'm a good person" without needing to prove external accomplishments.
The phenomenon is largely subconscious. People are not aware they are coping by redefining success around morality because they could not achieve external success. Nietzsche recognized that these individuals make up concepts to make themselves feel better about their lack of achievement.
Many Christians claim Jesus represents slave morality, suggesting the wealthy face greater difficulty entering heaven, citing the verse about the camel and the needle. They argue against pursuing money as anti-Christian. However, Jesus did not operate from resentment, which distinguishes true slave morality from his teachings. Money is not inherently negative and can be used to help people and accomplish significant good.
Videos addressing this topic receive significant negative feedback. Commenters accuse the speaker of being out of touch, materialistic, and judgmental. The speaker acknowledges he never expected agreement but felt compelled to state the truth regardless. He admits he used to be this type of person, which gives him insight into the coping mechanism.
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