This thread will take the form, sometimes utilised by Nietzsche, of brief exchanges between various people or concepts. I do not dare presume, of course, to match Nietzsche in terms of insight and formulation, but the form will allow me to touch upon a wide variety of subjects, albeit briefly. It's an experiment, time will tell whether it succeeds or fails. Visitors are welcome to submit their own examples, on any subject they like, but all submissions will be subject to my veto.
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Thursday, 28 July 2011
In Praise of Life.
Posted on 12:14 by Unknown
Given the rather morose nature of the subject matter on this blog, thus far, I would be remiss and dishonest if I neglected entirely those aspects of existence which bring joy, comfort and strength. I will try, in future, to add some meaningful content here, but for now i'll rest content with merely registering the intention.
The juxtaposition between joy and suffering also raises interesting questions regarding the interaction between these two states, the way that each can, by its own light and shade, alter the experience and interpretation of the other. Anyway, love, beauty, laughter, kindness, friendship, loyalty, tenderness, generosity of spirit, moral courage, and delight are just as real as their opposites, and certainly more valuable and admirable (in a personal, non-Heraclitian sense). This has nothing to do with "balance" in any petty (i.e. neutral) sense, since neutrality is never really an option for any living thing.
The juxtaposition between joy and suffering also raises interesting questions regarding the interaction between these two states, the way that each can, by its own light and shade, alter the experience and interpretation of the other. Anyway, love, beauty, laughter, kindness, friendship, loyalty, tenderness, generosity of spirit, moral courage, and delight are just as real as their opposites, and certainly more valuable and admirable (in a personal, non-Heraclitian sense). This has nothing to do with "balance" in any petty (i.e. neutral) sense, since neutrality is never really an option for any living thing.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Between Birds of Prey
Posted on 17:18 by Unknown
Staring,
chewing
one who no longer stands upright.
You seem to me grown together with your grave . . .
And only recently so proud
On stilts with all your pride
So recently the hermit without God
Who opened his house to the devil . . .
Now
wedged
between two nothings
a question mark
a tired puzzle
a puzzle for birds of prey. . .
They will "solve" you soon enough
Already they long for your "solution"
They are already flying around you, they're puzzling
Over you, hanged man . . .
Oh Zarathustra! . . .
Who knows himself! . . .
Who has hanged himself! . . .
(Nietzsche).
chewing
one who no longer stands upright.
You seem to me grown together with your grave . . .
And only recently so proud
On stilts with all your pride
So recently the hermit without God
Who opened his house to the devil . . .
Now
wedged
between two nothings
a question mark
a tired puzzle
a puzzle for birds of prey. . .
They will "solve" you soon enough
Already they long for your "solution"
They are already flying around you, they're puzzling
Over you, hanged man . . .
Oh Zarathustra! . . .
Who knows himself! . . .
Who has hanged himself! . . .
(Nietzsche).
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Nietzsche's dilemma.
Posted on 06:39 by Unknown
In a letter to Gast (1880), Nietzsche wrote: ". . .To this day, my whole philosophy totters after an hour's sympathetic conversation with total strangers: it seems so foolish to me to wish to be right at the price of love, and not be able to communicate what one considers most valuable lest one destroy the sympathy. Hence my tears."
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