Saturday, April 1, 2023

A Thought Experiment:


Nietzsche once said:

"What if some day or night a demon were to stead after you in your lonelinest

loneliness and say to you: This life as you are now live it and have lived it,

you will have to live once more and innumerable times more and there will be nothing new in it."

 

This is Nietzsche's concept of repetition.  It is mainly a thought experiment of sorts, where the individual is challenged to examine his or her life.  It examines the question. 'Do I really love my life, and my fate? If nothing else, this is how Nietzsche can help us go deeper.

I remember when I was a competitive wrestler and then later a runner, I would play these games in my head. It was a deep inner wrestling, part prayer, and part bargaining with God.  And perhaps, I was part crazy. I remember being filled with longing and hope but also deeply afraid of losing and losing in such a way that it would seemingly destroy me.  Could I endure losing a race or match in the final seconds (which I have done). I guess I could endure it but I certainly did not enjoy it, and certainly did not love it as Nietzsche asks us to do.

Regarding fishing, can I say no to the fish pulling on the end of my line and hope it will shake free?

But I believe the challenge is to say yes to life again and again even if we know the out come or fear the outcome . This is what Nietzsche meant to love ones life. Can I continually say yes to my life? Even if it is difficult? What other choices do I have? 

Can I say NO?

It seems to me I cant say no because to say no, is to say no to life and cut myself off from life itself. 

So I dangle in the wind.

 

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