Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

[Northern_Paladin]

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15, 1844 – August 25, 1900) (German pronunciation: [ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈvɪlhεlm ˈniːtʃə]) was a 19th-century German philosopher and classical philologist. He wrote critical texts on religion, morality, contemporary culture, philosophy and science, using a distinctive German-language style and displaying a fondness for metaphor, irony and aphorism.

Nietzsche's influence remains substantial within and beyond philosophy, notably in existentialism and postmodernism. His style and radical questioning of the value and objectivity of truth have resulted in much commentary and interpretation, mostly in the continental tradition. His key ideas include the interpretation of tragedy as an affirmation of life, an eternal recurrence (which numerous commentators have re-interpreted), a rejection of Platonism and a repudiation of both Christianity and egalitarianism (especially in the form of democracy and socialism).

Nietzsche began his career as a classical philologist before turning to philosophy. At the age of 24 he was appointed to the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel (the youngest individual to have held this position),[1] but resigned in 1879 because of health problems, which would plague him for most of his life. In 1889 he exhibited symptoms of insanity, living out his remaining years in the care of his mother and sister until his death in 1900.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Nietzsche


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F8vJAoymz0[/YOUTUBE]

[The Ripper]

Nietzsche saw what was coming. He also has some ideas of how to combat the modern disease.

And thus spoke Zarathustra to the people:

It is time for man to fix his goal. It is time for man to plant the seed of his highest hope.

His soil is still rich enough for it. But that soil will one day be poor and exhausted, and no lofty tree will any longer be able to grow there.

Alas! there comes the time when man will no longer launch the arrow of his longing beyond man -- and the string of his bow will have unlearned to whiz!

I tell you: one must still have chaos in oneself, to give birth to a dancing star. I tell you: you have still chaos in yourselves.

Alas! There comes the time when man will no longer give birth to any star. Alas! There comes the time of the most despicable man, who can no longer despise himself.

Lo! I show you the Last Man.

"What is love? What is creation? What is longing? What is a star?" -- so asks the Last Man, and blinks.

The earth has become small, and on it hops the Last Man, who makes everything small. His species is ineradicable as the flea; the Last Man lives longest.

"We have discovered happiness" -- say the Last Men, and they blink.

They have left the regions where it is hard to live; for they need warmth. One still loves one's neighbor and rubs against him; for one needs warmth.

Turning ill and being distrustful, they consider sinful: they walk warily. He is a fool who still stumbles over stones or men!

A little poison now and then: that makes for pleasant dreams. And much poison at the end for a pleasant death.

One still works, for work is a pastime. But one is careful lest the pastime should hurt one.

One no longer becomes poor or rich; both are too burdensome. Who still wants to rule? Who still wants to obey? Both are too burdensome.

No shepherd, and one herd! Everyone wants the same; everyone is the same: he who feels differently goes voluntarily into the madhouse.

"Formerly all the world was insane," -- say the subtlest of them, and they blink.

They are clever and know all that has happened: so there is no end to their derision. People still quarrel, but are soon reconciled -- otherwise it upsets their stomachs.

They have their little pleasures for the day, and their little pleasures for the night, but they have a regard for health.

"We have discovered happiness," -- say the Last Men, and they blink.

[Ulf]

Why is this in the Heathenry Portal?

[Liffrea]

Originally Posted by Ulf
Why is this in the Heathenry Portal?

Many would consider Nietzsche part of what is termed the “re-awakening” of Heathen thought in Europe. Although Nietzsche himself stated he had little knowledge of Germanic lore, one can see many concepts related to Heathen thought appearing in works like Birth of Tragedy.

For my money, I agree, along with Jung and Tolkien, I believe he is certainly at the top of the list of those who have done much to shape modern European spiritual thought.

[Hrimskegg]

It's been my personal motto for a while now that "pain is the price of adventure." While I don't agree with the sourness of Nietzsche's philosophy, I do agree that a person is better off having lived to the fullest, testing the boundaries of their physical and mental acumen, striving for the mountaintop not because one has to but because one wants to.

[Imperivm]

LOL channel 4 have blocked it in the UK!!!

[Gromosław]

One of his best quotation:

"Pagans are all those who say Yes to Life, for whom 'god' is the word for the great Yes to all things." Nietzsche

[Marino]

It's been my personal motto for a while now that "pain is the price of adventure." While I don't agree with the sourness of Nietzsche's philosophy

Sourness? Provided I do not misunderstand the term: Where do you find "sourness" in Nietzsche? He is anti-ressentiment, anti-"sourness", the great affirmative man, affirmative of this animal life here on earth, anti afterlife, a life "on the other side", anti "God", anti "moral", anti "conscience" (which he considers just inverted ferociousness, cruelty deprived of its natural outlet).

You probably mistake him for Schopenhauer.