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zare_i 's review for:
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
by Friedrich Nietzsche
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.