The Twilight of the Idols · Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
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Mankind does _not_ represent a development towards a better, stronger or higher type, in the sense in which this is supposed to occur to-day. “Progress” is merely a modern idea—that is to say, a false idea.[2] The modern European is still far below the European of the Renaissance in value. The process of evolution does not by any means imply elevation, enhancement and increasing strength. On the other hand isolated and individual cases are continually succeeding in different places on earth, as the outcome of the most different cultures, and in these a _higher type_ certainly manifests itself: something which by the side of mankind in general, represents a kind of superman. Such lucky strokes of great success have always been possible and will perhaps always be possible. And even whole races, tribes and nations may in certain circumstances represent such _lucky strokes._
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.