Thus Spoke Zarathustra Paperback – 25 July 2017

Bought as a gift for an avid reader who stated it was great to read it again

This book by Nietzsche is the first (but major) step towards enlightenment. I understand some people find it difficult to comprehend, but that is his whole point: the Overman (Ubermensch in German or superman)is somebody who has developed themselves in all senses including a bright, brilliant and agile mind. I understood everything what I read and I am in awe. A key point is we should strive to achieve happiness within ourselves. And this is a very difficult task as we are embroiled in our 'bad karma' - a collection of repressed feelings that spring out from prohibitions that go against our spirit. These feelings tie us to false morals, false gods, false actions and lives. They make us small. And those who are trapped in smallness then cannot possibly allow for greatness in others. As they mock and criticise the great they further prohibit the greatness for themselves thereby re-enforcing the bullying of their spirits. I wish you all to find your genius, your greatness, self-love and love.

Made me think about the content of his talk.there might be some truth hidden in there.

Despite being only 130 pages / 80 stories it takes a long time to read and an even longer time to understand, not necessarily because its difficult, but because your'll come to realise how little distance you've made along the rope between the ape and the superman."But why talk I, when no one hath MINE ears! And so I will shout it out unto all the winds: Ye ever become smaller, ye small people! Ye crumble away, ye comfortable ones! Ye will yet perish- By your many small virtues, by your many small omissions, and by your many small submissions! Too tender, too yielding: so is your soil! But for a tree to become GREAT, it seekth to twine hard roots around hard rocks!"

Not finished as yet, reading along side some material from Young and others. This will be a useful text way into the future.

The aphoristic and mythological representation of a theory intended to provide an answer to Nietzsche's despair expressed in the misleading slogan "the death of God" (the lapse of a belief rather than the death of a being). The proposal which is Zarathustra's message to mankind consists of two parts: the first is a theory and the second is a challenge. The theory is eternal recurrence, that the universe repeats itself in every precise detail eternally. The challenge is, if offered the choice would you choose eternal recurrence (without recollecting your previous existences)...? or - the "or" is not specified but it seems we should assume nothingness (and not an afterlife.) The proposal therefore is intended as a test of whether one affirms one's entire life (good and evil.) However there is a snag - only the Ubermensch (Superman) who does not yet exist could have the courage, according to Nietzsche, affirm eternal recurrence. Even the sage Zarathustra (in his "most abysmal moment") recognises that he cannot affirm it. Man is only a bridge between animals and the Ubermensch ("a rope over an abyss.") Thus it is not clear whether we are to attempt an affirmation which as a premise of the whole theory is destined to fail (and perhaps learn something from the failure), or affirm eternal recurrence indirectly by wishing for the coming of the Ubermensch. Take it as you will. The writing is at times superb - particularly for example Zarathustra's conversation with Death personified as a femme fatale, with whom he has a strange and movingly ambivalent conversation. As philosophy it is long-winded and confused - but it is a work which has resonated. Some of the aphorisms are certainly thought-provoking. Nietzsche thought this work his ultimate legacy to mankind. In summary, it is Nietzsche at both his best and worst.

Highly recommended reading.

Good