What Is Necessary
I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful
what is necessary in things;
then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful.
Amor fati: let that be my love henceforth!
I do not want to wage war
against what is ugly.
I do not want to accuse;
I do not even want to accuse those who accuse.
Looking away shall be my only negation.
And all in all and on the whole:
some day I wish to be
only a Yes-sayer.
–excerpt The Gay Science, Book 4, Section 276 by Friedrich Nietzsche
I was present at a Batavia Village Hall meeting yesterday. I joined others to appeal to elected officials to make transversing Route 31 safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and children walking alongside, or attempting to use a crosswalk. A distracted driver piloting a 5,800 pound vehicle at 50 mph does not mix with the unprotected. You’d think any number of things could be done to swiftly make this scenario of steel, of speed, and of the vulnerable — safer. Sadly the road does not belong to the village. Appeal to the state has already been made. Measures that ought to be taken today will take many months. Emily White was struck crossing Route 31 and critically injured. A teen is hospitalized in critical condition, hit while crossing with his bike.
After leaving the Village Hall meeting I joined the discussion with friends about the philosophy of Rupert Read. Read’s area of concern is global warming, the consequences; and speculation about the future which is certain to be radically changed by comparison to anything experienced past or present. As you’d imagine this was a grim topic, pointing to impending fracture of civilization.
Everyone is a fan of civilization. I depend upon Eli Lilly to produce insulin that I need, upon a Canadian pharmacy and upon shipping and upon customs clearance–to convey the life sustaining hormone that my body no longer produces. Science, companies, medicine, functioning transportation, cross border commerce, — sustain all. Can you imagine a wide scale failure of all of those?
I cannot. The prospect makes me shudder. And yet, and yet…
How to love what is necessary: Amor Fati
