Nothing Is True, Everything Is Permitted

Nothing is true, everything is permitted is the widely popular tenet from the Assassin’s Creed video game series.

“Nothing is true” is interpreted by many as a reflection on the fact, that human beings are unable to experience an objective reality, as they filter everything through their unconscious.

“Everything is permitted” continues this train of thought with the realization that the nature of one’s reality or experience is determined by the one who experiences it – ourselves – leaving power over our own faith in our own hands.

The quote is widely attributed to Hassan-i-Sabbah, leader of the historical Assassins, an Isma’ili sect of Shia Islam, however, this is not proven.

Friedrich Nietzsche wrote in his 1859 book, The Geneology of Morals that “nothing is true, everything is permitted” was the last quote of Hassan-i-Sabbah.

The association was further popularized by the 1938 book of Vladimir Bartol, titled Alamut, which served as the inspiration for the original Assassin’s Creed video game, released in 2007.

The 2010’s saw the rise of the Assassin’s Creed series, as Ubisoft released a new game in the series nearly every year.

The huge fanbase of the games often mentions and talks about “nothing is true, everything is permitted” online.

It was first defined on Urban Dictionary in 2011.

• Fandom – Assassins Creed Wiki
• Vanderbilt University – Notes on the origin of the phrase “Nothing is true, everything is permitted.”
• Reddit – r/assassinscreed