example of misanthropy. According to him, everything in the world, including humans and their activities, is an expression of one underlying will. However, this will is blind, which causes it to continuously engage in futile struggles. On the level of human life, this "presents itself as a continual deception" since it is driven by pointless desires. They are mostly egoistic and often result in injustice and suffering to others. Once they are satisfied, they only give rise to new pointless desires and more suffering. In this regard, Schopenhauer dismisses most things that are typically considered precious or meaningful in human life, like romantic love, individuality, and liberty. He holds that the best response to the human condition is a form of asceticism by denying the expression of the will. However, this is only found in very rare humans and "the dull majority of men" does not live up to this ideal. Friedrich Nietzsche, who was strongly influenced by Schopenhauer, is also often cited as an example of misanthropy. He saw man as a decadent and "sick animal" that constitutes no progress over other animals. He even had a negative image of apes since they are more similar to human beings than other animals, for example, in regard to cruelty. For Nietzsche, a noteworthy flaw of human beings is their tendency to create and enforce systems of moral rules that favor weak people and suppress true greatness. He held that the human being is something to be overcome and replaced by what he calls the Übermensch. Religion Some misanthropic views are also found in religious teachings. In Christianity, for example, this is associated with the sinful nature of humans and the widespread manifestation of sin in everyday life. Common forms of sin are discussed in terms of the seven deadly sins, such as an excessive sense of self-importance in the form of pride, strong sexual cravings constituting lust, and following greed for material possessions as well as being envious of the possessions of others. According to the doctrine of original sin, this flaw is found in every human being since human nature is already tainted by sin from birth by inheriting it from Adam and Eve's rebellion against God's authority. Misanthropic perspectives can also be discerned in various Buddhist teachings. For example, Buddha had a very negative outlook on the widespread flaws of human beings, including lust, hatred, delusion, sorrow, and