Full Idea
There cannot be anything other than egoism; in men whose ego is weak and thin the power of great love also grows weak.
Gist of Idea
Egoism is inescapable, and when it grows weak, the power of love also grows weak
Source
Friedrich Nietzsche (The Will to Power (notebooks) [1888], §362)
Book Reference
Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'The Will to Power', ed/tr. Kaufmann,W /Hollingdate,R [Vintage 1968], p.197
A Reaction
We have captured this now in the popular psychological notion of 'low self-esteem', which blights a persons behaviour. It runs counter to the Christian ideal of self-effacing altruism.