Our Need Of Lies…
There is only one world,
and this is false, cruel, and contradictory,
seductive, without meaning—
A world thus constituted
is the real world.
We have need of lies
in order to conquer this reality,
this “truth,” that is
in order to live.
–excerpt The Birth of Tragedy
Friedrich Nietzsche
Can’t shake this brief quotation. I am reading the introduction to Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra, his greatest work. By now, at this late stage in my life, I am accustomed to the notion that the external world is without inherent meaning. Seems that the task of meaning-creation falls on my shoulders and upon yours. No need for shock and surprise at the swirling chaos happening around us, day-to-day. The Smollett fiasco comes to mind. Of course, a President whose state of mind is ruled by rage, his search for the powerless to serve as objects of his disdain. And he has company.
So along with family, and a circle of trusted friends, I could do worse —than spend time and effort to create a context of meaning within which we may develop our humanity.
2 thoughts on “Our Need Of Lies…”
There is a fine but distinct line between skepticism and cynicism. I believe the the first is a healthy attitude to take when viewing the world at large. There are many times that skepticism can act as a coat of armor against the inanities of the world and lead us to greater understanding and insight. Cynicism, on the other hand, can lead us into very dark areas where we can no longer see the light of good within any members of our fellow man. Our disillusionment becomes delusional and we begin to create the shadows instead of seeing them for what they are. It is easy to cross that line between skepticism and cynicism without even knowing it, for one leads directly into the other. My sense is that Nietzsche was a pragmatic cynic and even though he pondered the dark side of humanity, he was able to keep a perspective though his pragmatism. All I ask is that as you delve into his world, you keep your own pragmatism by your side as a light to find your way back from the quicksand of existential nihilism.
Good advice. Nietzsche strikes me as the “canary in a coal mine.” He was well aware that his writing was for a future time.