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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
When you look at Nietzsche two things become apparent.
First that there is stigma associated with him as an author and thinker because Nazis and other radical movements used some of his statements to justify their own philosophy (accent here is on "some" never "all"). Whenever you try to quote him or use him in argument opposition is usually taking stand as "again them radicals". This is so unjust that it makes me very sad. Only thing I can say read his books, you will be positively surprised.
Second thing is that he was writing about his own world and events taking place in it that are not that different from own - masses following politician's hungry for power, various guru's and religious like layman movements that constantly speak about futility of life, how it would be better to just leave this world - but nobody of these same people is willing to lead by example - city's growing ever so big and cynic city dwellers, pompous press that wants to impress their own views on everyone, ever present talks about humanity's imminent demise..... you name it they got it 130 years back with only one small difference - they weren't bombarded by everyone's opinion on everything 24 hours a day. They had some breathing space.
So it is very easy to draw parallels and grasp the message of this book. Only drawback might be archaic writing style but even that obstacles is made much smaller by a very good translation of this edition.
Message of the book is very simple - we always need to strive to overcome ourselves, to better ourselves. We need to move beyond existing human condition by first stopping to rely on external forces as guides and rule makers (which are essentially our own forces but projected outwards back to ourselves) followed by full reliance on ourselves, only then, set free from the invisible chains of our own psyche, we can embrace life, enjoy life with all the bad and good things and actually live it, listen to others, understand and help them but not out of pity or because of various i-am-victim-syndromes but because we want to and it is a thing to do. Do note that this goal (Overhuman) is nothing defined, it is always goal that is near but never within our grasp. Eternal goal to strive but never reach - but again, goal is of no importance, most important thing is the actual voyage.
Excellent book, highly recommended although do note that style (especially in Fourth part) might be difficult to follow. This is not your standard book of philosophy but more like philosophical novel and it takes concentration to finish it.
First that there is stigma associated with him as an author and thinker because Nazis and other radical movements used some of his statements to justify their own philosophy (accent here is on "some" never "all"). Whenever you try to quote him or use him in argument opposition is usually taking stand as "again them radicals". This is so unjust that it makes me very sad. Only thing I can say read his books, you will be positively surprised.
Second thing is that he was writing about his own world and events taking place in it that are not that different from own - masses following politician's hungry for power, various guru's and religious like layman movements that constantly speak about futility of life, how it would be better to just leave this world - but nobody of these same people is willing to lead by example - city's growing ever so big and cynic city dwellers, pompous press that wants to impress their own views on everyone, ever present talks about humanity's imminent demise..... you name it they got it 130 years back with only one small difference - they weren't bombarded by everyone's opinion on everything 24 hours a day. They had some breathing space.
So it is very easy to draw parallels and grasp the message of this book. Only drawback might be archaic writing style but even that obstacles is made much smaller by a very good translation of this edition.
Message of the book is very simple - we always need to strive to overcome ourselves, to better ourselves. We need to move beyond existing human condition by first stopping to rely on external forces as guides and rule makers (which are essentially our own forces but projected outwards back to ourselves) followed by full reliance on ourselves, only then, set free from the invisible chains of our own psyche, we can embrace life, enjoy life with all the bad and good things and actually live it, listen to others, understand and help them but not out of pity or because of various i-am-victim-syndromes but because we want to and it is a thing to do. Do note that this goal (Overhuman) is nothing defined, it is always goal that is near but never within our grasp. Eternal goal to strive but never reach - but again, goal is of no importance, most important thing is the actual voyage.
Excellent book, highly recommended although do note that style (especially in Fourth part) might be difficult to follow. This is not your standard book of philosophy but more like philosophical novel and it takes concentration to finish it.
reflective
slow-paced
I appreciate Nietzsche’s decision to make Thus Spake Zarathustra a celebration of art and creativity by writing in polished prose-poetry and declaring the importance of the creative moment. I do not appreciate the self-indulgent gospel of the Overman he peddles as dogmatically as the decadent religiosity he lambasts. I realize by admitting this I show just how philosophically shallow I am, but I was troubled by Nietzsche’s rejection of pity, mercy, humility and other so-called “slave values,” even more so than I was at his claim “God is dead” (which, in all honesty, I supported, insofar as Nietzsche was declaring, not the death of a literal deity, but the incompatibility of legalistic, often hypocritical religions with the modern world). I often found myself wishing I could pick and choose from Zarathustra, but each of his ideas was closely tied to every other idea; with Nietzsche, it seems you are either all in or not at all, and if that is the case, I will pass.
challenging
slow-paced
Always worth the re-read; Nietzsche at full blast and at the peak of his ability presents his ideas by mouth of Zarathustra; the concepts of the superman (or over-man), the eternal recurrence, slave morality and above all the will to power; the complete affirmation of life, a total yes-saying 'amor fati'.
"I teach you the Superman. Man is something that should be overcome. What have you done to overcome him?"
"The creator seeks companions, not corpses or herds or believers. The creator seeks fellow-creators, those who inscribe new values on new tables."
"The child is innocence and forgetfulness, a new beginning, a sport, a self-propelling wheel, a first motion, a sacred Yes."
"Let us speak of this, you wisest men, even if it is a bad thing. To be silent is worse; all suppressed truths become poisonous. And let everything that can break upon our truths – break! There is many a house still to build!"
"I teach you the Superman. Man is something that should be overcome. What have you done to overcome him?"
"The creator seeks companions, not corpses or herds or believers. The creator seeks fellow-creators, those who inscribe new values on new tables."
"The child is innocence and forgetfulness, a new beginning, a sport, a self-propelling wheel, a first motion, a sacred Yes."
"Let us speak of this, you wisest men, even if it is a bad thing. To be silent is worse; all suppressed truths become poisonous. And let everything that can break upon our truths – break! There is many a house still to build!"
The only reason its not a 1 star is that there is good content and valid points made, but they're so buried in the mire of self-centered ego and inflated self-worth that it almost makes it not worth digging into.
There's a lot of imagery used to describe ideas that really just falls flat on its face, maybe lost in translation?
Maybe I came to the book with too-high hopes due to 100+ years of hype, but I really was let down by this book, to the point where I have no desire to read any further Neitzche.
There's a lot of imagery used to describe ideas that really just falls flat on its face, maybe lost in translation?
Maybe I came to the book with too-high hopes due to 100+ years of hype, but I really was let down by this book, to the point where I have no desire to read any further Neitzche.
Uten å klare å si noe objektivt, synes jeg bare Nietzsche har blitt en veldig fascinerende ting å lese. Har det veldig gøy. Denne var desidert enklere enn «Brith of Tragedy» og hadde den ikoniske monologen «Gud er død».
Respekterer ikke kvinnesynet hans. Så det trekker kraftig ned.
Respekterer ikke kvinnesynet hans. Så det trekker kraftig ned.