Nietzsche
Tuesday evening is philosophy discussion night. Eight to ten of us gather together to discuss an essay. We “go” together in conversation where ever our stories seem to lead us. We have discussed Nietzsche’s work before. He is difficult for many reasons, none the least is shear brilliance of his intellect.
The springboard for discussion last night was short essay entitled Nietzsche and Salvation. The writer’s thesis was that all of philosophy, and especially the life-long ruminations of Nietzsche are attempts to address our shared sense that somehow life is deeply unsatisfactory. If life were judged to be satisfactory for the majority of us, would we have religion? Would philosophy have anything to discuss? Would we bring so much passion to the contest of ideas?
During the course of the evening comment was made that the president was addressing congress as we were meeting at Beans & Leaves. In the past the president has made no attempt to give nuance to his assessment of the unsatisfactory condition of our society. His view is blunt and simple: Obama, radical Islam, and criminal-illegal immigrants. And all of this gets conflated into a hairball of impending catastrophe. The remedy offered is also simple: himself as “the leader.” I’m glad that I was with friends, productively conversing in order to make our lives better instead of watching him on TV.
I think that a statement by Nietzsche is a fair characterization of the president and his administration.
Nihilism is….not only a belief that everything deserves to perish; but one actually puts one’s shoulder to the plough; one destroys. —Friedrich Nietzsche
