Day 634, Skeletons.

Day's pictures

Day 634-1

I like this picture mainly because of the stillness it shows to me. Alt these thin trees standing there motionless, one slightly more in focus pretending to be you.  I imagine walking there, thin air freezing cold. The snow is halfway frozen, and it is the only sound I hear when I go. When everything green that was alive is dead and on the ground, you see the skeletons lying around. The trees stand in silence and morn its loss, I look further and ignore the signs, this animal ones was alive. I slowly walk on forward in time. I wasn’t there when it fell down and died. Last summer it was green here and the sun shined on me. Skeletons are covered by summers day light.

 

Day 633, Midnight darkness.

Day's pictures, Video

Day 633-1

The sun is always low on the horizon when you live close to the polar circle. For a while I lived in a place called Gratangen, 50 km above Narvik. There we lived a couple hundred kilometers above the polar circle and therefore the sun would disappear during a big part of the winter. You would see some light shining over the edge of the world, but you would not feel any sunshine for a couple of months. Gratangen lies in a small fjord with mountains all around, somewhere in January we would see the first sunlight hitting the top of the mountains and slowly working its way down during the next weeks. It is strange if you never have lived in a place like that, the excitement when you see the sun for the first time again. We new when that was about to happen, when the sunlight finely hit the first houses on the sloop of the mountain, that was during work most of the time, but the first weekend we would drive to Narvik and on the way over we would see the sun. I really loved those dark winter days, many people ask about it: is it not depressive, how long are the winters? I never had problems with it, the summers where mush harder for me. In the summer I could still see the sun around midnight from my Living room, no darkness for many months, no waiting for the light to come back.

I made this little video on 30 June 2008 not so far from Narvik, Norway I like the winters but seeing the midnight sun is also special.

Day 632, The need to be alone together.

Day's pictures

Day 632

Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon in which the mind responds to a stimulus, usually an image or a sound, by perceiving a familiar pattern where none exists. (Seeing faces in objects for instance)

For some reason I see, in this picture, several little people standing on a ridge and one big fellow looking far away in a certain direction. They seem to belong together, wonder what they are looking at, or what that one on the right is thinking about:

 The need to be alone together with no one so close to belong somewhere single and go my own way of love for the one outside my reach out to myself at night lying there in my memory with love from the past that was good to hold out with no breath in my neck I can turn around and go to the one that I love and learn to hate this being alone I sometimes cry for no reason I feel great walking proud my own way and I see those eyes floating shooting lightning in my heard burning pain and pleasure all at once in my days single and never alone going up while falling on my knees kissing feet pulling strings in my brain to maintain my own smile alive to get one inside this life I betray my own pride and still go the road that I so much like and also need is what I tell when I lie awake the nights before I sleep alone together with a dream by my side.

Human all too human: 32. Injustice necessary.

Human all too human

Reading Friedrich Nietzsche’s Human all too human

Read the introduction here, You can read the aphorism I discuss here in English and German below the main article.

My take on it.

32. Poor judgement is our burden.

DSCF8649Our judgements concerning life are illogical and therefore unjust. The first reason for this is the partial availability of the material we work with, and then how we make conclusions out of it, and finally, the fact that every separate piece of the material is unavoidably the result of impure knowledge. If we know someone for a long time we still have not enough information to give a final evaluation, every evaluation is premature and should be. We are the one that measures, and we are ever changing. Our mood swings prevent us from making a stable platform from where we can measure the other Maybe the conclusion is that we should not judge at all. If we could just live without guesses, and favorites because they depend on your flawed evaluation. A drive towards or away from something without a need or avoidance, or an evaluation of the worth of the goal doesn’t exist. We know that we are unjust and illogical, and it is a disharmony of existence.

Text from the translation by Helen Zimmern and my take on it

All judgments on the value of life are illogically developed, and therefore unjust. Our judgements concerning life are illogical and therefore unjust. The inexactitude1 of the judgment lies, firstly, in the manner in which the material is presented, namely very imperfectly ; The first reason for this is the partial availability of the material we work with, secondly, in the manner in which the conclusion is formed out of it; And then how we make conclusions out of it, and thirdly, in the fact that every separate element of the material is again the result of vitiated2 recognition, and this, too, of necessity. And finally, the fact that every separate piece of the material is unavoidably the result of impure knowledge. For instance, no experience of an individual, however near he may stand to us, can be perfect, so that we could have a logical right to make a complete estimate of him; all estimates are rash, and must be so. If we know someone for a long time we still have not enough information to give a final evaluation, every evaluation premature and should be. Finally, the standard by which we measure, our nature, is not of unalterable dimensions, We are the one ourselves that measures, and we are ever changing —we have moods and vacillations, and yet we should have to recognise ourselves as a fixed standard in order to estimate correctly the relation of any thing whatever to ourselves. Our mood swings prevent us from making a stable platform from where we can measure the other (we don’t know who is moving).  From this it will, perhaps, follow that we should make no judgments at all; Maybe the conclusion is that we should not judge at all. if one could only live without making estimations, If we could just live without guesses, without having likes and dislikes! For all dislike is connected with an estimation, as well as all inclination. and favorites because they depend on your flawed evaluation. An impulse towards or away from anything without a feeling that something advantageous is desired, something injurious avoided, an impulse without any kind of conscious valuation of the worth of the aim does not exist in man. A drive towards or away from something without a need or avoidance, or an evaluation of the worth of the goal doesn’t exist. We are from the beginning illogical, and therefore unjust beings, and can recognize this; it is one of the greatest and most inexplicable discords of existence. We know that we are unjust and illogical, and it is a disharmony of existence.

1 The quality or state of being inexact or inaccurate; inexactness.

2 To reduce the value or quality of; impair or spoil

Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I translated by Helen Zimmern 1909

  1. INJUSTICE NECESSARY.—All judgments on the value of life are illogically developed, and therefore unjust. The inexactitude of the judgment lies, firstly, in the manner in which the material is presented, namely very imperfectly ; secondly, in the manner in which the conclusion is formed out of it; and thirdly, in the fact that every separate element of the material is again the result of vitiated recognition, and this, too, of necessity. For instance, no experience of an individual, however near he may stand to us, can be perfect, so that we could have a logical right to make a complete estimate of him ; all estimates are rash, and must be so. Finally, the standard by which we measure, our nature, is not of unalterable dimensions,—we have moods and vacillations, and yet we should have to recognise ourselves as a fixed standard in order to estimate correctly the relation of any thing whatever to ourselves. From this it will, perhaps, follow that we should make no judgments at all ; if one could only live without making estimations, without having likes and dislikes ! For all dislike is connected with an estimation, as well as all inclination. An impulse towards or away from anything without a feeling that something advantageous is desired, something injurious avoided, an impulse without any kind of conscious valuation of the worth of the aim does not exist in man. We are from the beginning illogical, and therefore unjust beings, and can recognise this ; it is one of the greatest and most inexplicable discords of existence.

Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80

  1. Ungerechtsein nothwendig. – Alle Urtheile über den Werth des Lebens sind unlogisch entwickelt und desshalb ungerecht. Die Unreinheit des Urtheils liegt erstens in der Art, wie das Material vorliegt, nämlich sehr unvollständig, zweitens in der Art, wie daraus die Summe gebildet wird, und drittens darin, dass jedes einzelne Stück des Materials wieder das Resultat unreinen Erkennens ist und zwar diess mit voller Nothwendigkeit. Keine Erfahrung zum Beispiel über einen Menschen, stünde er uns auch noch so nah, kann vollständig sein, so dass wir ein logisches Recht zu einer Gesammtabschätzung desselben hätten; alle Schätzungen sind voreilig und müssen es sein. Endlich ist das Maass, womit wir messen, unser Wesen, keine unabänderliche Grösse, wir haben Stimmungen und Schwankungen, und doch müssten wir uns selbst als ein festes Maass kennen, um das Verhältniss irgend einer Sache zu uns gerecht abzuschätzen. Vielleicht wird aus alledem folgen, dass man gar nicht urtheilen sollte; wenn man aber nur leben könnte, ohne abzuschätzen, ohne Abneigung und Zuneigung zu haben! – denn alles Abgeneigtsein hängt mit einer Schätzung zusammen, ebenso alles Geneigtsein. Ein Trieb zu Etwas oder von Etwas weg, ohne ein Gefühl davon, dass man das Förderliche wolle, dem Schädlichen ausweiche, ein Trieb ohne eine Art von erkennender Abschätzung über den Werth des Zieles, existirt beim Menschen nicht. Wir sind von vornherein unlogische und daher ungerechte Wesen, und können diess erkennen: diess ist eine der grössten und unauflösbarsten Disharmonien des Daseins.

Sources:

I will read a Dutch translation that is based on the work of researchers Colli and Montinari. I also use a translation from R.J.Hollingdale and the Gary Handwerk translation from the Colli-Montinari edition. Both are more modern than the copyright free translation I use here. This is a translation from 1909 by Helen Zimmern, who knew Nietzsche personally, but there was no critical study of Nietzsche’s work done back then and this translation suffers from that. The same goes for the translation from Alexander Harvey. My German is not good enough to pretend that I can translate it better than the professionals do but I will use the original as a referee.

  1. Menselijk al te menselijk een boek voor vrije geesten, translated by Thomas Graftdijk, 2000. Buy it here
  2. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by R.J.Hollingdale, 1986
  3. Human, all too human a book for free spirits I V3, translated by Gary handwerk 1997
  4. Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I, translated by Helen Zimmern 1909. Read it  here
  5. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by Alexander Harvey, 1908. Read it here
  6. Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80. Read it here

 

 

Day 631, Looking against the light.

Day's pictures

Day 631-1

Looking against the light.

We human beings can easily be overwhelmed. An example: you meet him, the whole date goes so well, as if you knew each other for so long and then… he barks at the waiter. Or you by the new phone you wanted for so long, you install everything, try it out and then after 3 days… the excitement is gone and it’s just an other phone. Our expectation is like the bright sun that puts everything around you in a shadow and you can only see the light. That person or object shines so bright, because you want it so bad, that it makes you temporary stupid, you can not think straight. That realization can come fast, as in the case of the rude date, or it takes a couple of day’s like with the phone. We all know this of course, there are enough sayings that point to this like: “blinded by love”, and it is not a bad thing perse. Looking at any man or woman thinking that he or she is probably an asshole one way or the other, what is of course the truth, is not a recipe for a nice date, a love life or for propagation, the cornerstone of our existence. In a certain way evolution made us les skeptical when it comes to choosing a mate, at least the skepticism is postponed till after the woman is impregnated or in our modern time: you had sex.

Well, that’s all well and good and a little drama makes life more interested for sure, but the side effect of this blindness is: the telephone I just bought and don’t need, or any product for that matter. This irrational potential in us is off course the fuel that our lifestyle, or capitalistic system, is running on.  If we all would be responsible buyers our system would crawl to a standstill and that is a problem, if you like this system. I personally wouldn’t mind finding a more responsible one. The main reason for this is that we can destroy the world we live in. Because of all the excess stuff we produce, the energy it cost and the waste we make we probably do more harm than good to the world on the long run. But for now, we are all blinded by the light and cannot see what lurks in the darkness.

Human all too human: 31. The illogical necessary

Human all too human

Reading Friedrich Nietzsche’s Human all too human

Read the introduction here

You can read the aphorism I discuss here in English and German below the main article.

My take on it.

It makes a thinker mad that humans need to be illogical, but it is necessary for all valuable things we do. Only the naïve thinks we can become all rational, but we would lose a lot if we would. Even the most rational man needs nature or with other words: irrationality.

In one sentence:

The things that are valuable, come from irrationality.

Synopsis, quote from the translation by Helen Zimmern and my take on it

The thing that can make a thinker mad is the knowledge that we humans need to be illogical and that much good comes from it. It makes a thinker made that humans need to be illogical, It is so firmly rooted in the passions, in language, in art, in religion, and generally in everything that gives value to life, that it cannot be withdrawn without thereby hopelessly injuring these beautiful things. but it is necessary for all valuable things we do. Only the too naïve person can think that man can be rational, but if we would come close to this goal we would lose a lot. Only the naïve thinks we can become all rational, but we would lose a lot if we would. Even the most rational man has need of nature again from time to time, i.e. his illogical fundamental attitude towards all things. Even the most rational man needs nature or with other words: irrationality.

 Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I translated by Helen Zimmern 1909

  1. THE ILLOGICAL NECESSARY.—One of those things that may drive a thinker into despair is the recognition of the fact that the illogical is necessary for man, and that out of the illogical comes much that is good. It is so firmly rooted in the passions, in language, in art, in religion, and generally in everything that gives value to life, that it cannot be withdrawn without thereby hopelessly injuring these beautiful things. It is only the all-too-naïve people who can believe that the nature of man can be changed into a purely logical one ; but if there were degrees of proximity to this goal, how many things would not have to be lost on this course ! Even the most rational man has need of nature again from time to time, i.e. his illogical fundamental attitude towards all things.

Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80

  1. Das Unlogische nothwendig. – Zu den Dingen, welche einen Denker in Verzweifelung bringen können, gehört die Erkenntniss, dass das Unlogische für den Menschen nöthig ist, und dass aus dem Unlogischen vieles Gute entsteht. Es steckt so fest in den Leidenschaften, in der Sprache, in der Kunst, in der Religion und überhaupt in Allem, was dem Leben Werth verleiht, dass man es nicht herausziehen kann, ohne damit diese schönen Dinge heillos zu beschädigen. Es sind nur die allzu naiven Menschen, welche glauben können, dass die Natur des Menschen in eine rein logische verwandelt werden könne; wenn es aber Grade der Annäherung an dieses Ziel geben sollte, was würde da nicht Alles auf diesem Wege verloren gehen müssen! Auch der vernünftigste Mensch bedarf von Zeit zu Zeit wieder der Natur, das heisst seiner unlogischen Grundstellung zu allen Dingen.

Sources:

I will read a Dutch translation that is based on the work of researchers Colli and Montinari. I also use a translation from R.J.Hollingdale and the Gary Handwerk translation from the Colli-Montinari edition. Both are more modern than the copyright free translation I use here. This is a translation from 1909 by Helen Zimmern, who knew Nietzsche personally, but there was no critical study of Nietzsche’s work done back then and this translation suffers from that. The same goes for the translation from Alexander Harvey. My German is not good enough to pretend that I can translate it better than the professionals do but I will use the original as a referee.

  1. Menselijk al te menselijk een boek voor vrije geesten, translated by Thomas Graftdijk, 2000. Buy it here
  2. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by R.J.Hollingdale, 1986
  3. Human, all too human a book for free spirits I V3, translated by Gary handwerk 1997
  4. Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I, translated by Helen Zimmern 1909. Read it  here
  5. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by Alexander Harvey, 1908. Read it here
  6. Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80. Read it here

 

 

Day 630, Sailboat escape.

Day's pictures

Day 630-1

This is a spot where I sometimes eat my lunch. In the winter there is not so much change, besides the coming and going of the snow, but in the summer, you can see sailboats from all over the world. I find a small sailboat with a couple of people on board that sail the world endlessly intriguing. It’s like a little capsule where you can go in and literally sail away from the world into your own. It is a long-time dream of mine to do that to, and one day I will. But for now it’s just watching the harbor and eating my sandwiches.

Human all too human: 30. Bad habits in reasoning

Human all too human

Reading Friedrich Nietzsche’s Human all too human

Read the introduction here

You can read the aphorism I discuss here in English and German below the main article.

My take on it.

Mankind has the following bad habits: a thing exists; therefore it has a right to exist, it lives efficient and therefor it has the right to live. The next one is: the opinion that brings happiness is therefore true, this result gets labeled good as in useful (happiness is useful) And the opinion is also good but now logically (the opinion is logical). The opposite of this is: something does not work and is thus bad and an opinion causes pain and is thus true. A free spirit suffers under these “rules” and can mistakenly turn them around and say: if something does not work it is true or a distressing opinion is true because it is distressing.

In one sentence:

Reasoning follows often the beaten track mistakenly both up an downhill.

Synopsis, quote from the translation by Helen Zimmern and my take on it

The usual false conclusions of mankind are these: Mankind has the following bad habits: a thing exists, therefore it has a right to exist, the reasoning goes from it can live, to it is efficient in it and therefore it has the right to live. It lives efficient and therefor it has the right to live. Then: an opinion brings happiness; therefore, it is the true opinion, its effect is good; therefore, it is itself good and true. The next one is: the opinion that brings happiness is therefore true, Here the results get labeled good as in useful this result gets labeled good as in useful (happiness is useful) and the cause (the opinion) of that gets the same label (good) but now as logical instead of useful. And the opinion is also good but now logically. The opposite of this is that an affair cannot be carried through, or maintained, therefore it is wrong; an opinion causes pain or excites, therefore it is false. The opposite of this is: something does not work and is thus bad and an opinion causes pain and is un true. The free spirit that suffers under these modes of reasoning frequently gives way to the temptation to draw the very opposite conclusions, which, in general, are naturally just as false: an affair cannot be carried through, therefore it is good; an opinion is distressing and disturbing, therefore it is true. A free spirit suffers under these “rules” and can mistakenly turn them around and say: if something does not work it is true or a distressing opinion is true because it is distressing.

Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I translated by Helen Zimmern 1909

  1. BAD HABITS IN REASONING.—The usual false conclusions of mankind are these : a thing exists, therefore it has a right to exist. Here there is inference from the ability to live to its suitability ; from its suitability to its rightfulness. Then : an opinion brings happiness ; therefore it is the true opinion. Its effect is good ; therefore it is itself good and true. To the effect is here assigned the predicate beneficent, good, in the sense of the useful, and the cause is then furnished with the same predicate good, but here in the sense of the logically valid. The inversion of the sentences would read thus: an affair cannot be carried through, or maintained, therefore it is wrong ; an opinion causes pain or excites, therefore it is false. The free spirit who learns only too often the faultiness of this mode of reasoning, and has to suffer from its consequences, frequently gives way to the temptation to draw the very opposite conclusions, which, in general, are naturally just as false : an affair cannot be carried through, therefore it is good ; an opinion is distressing and disturbing, therefore it is true.

Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80

  1. Schlechte Gewohnheiten im Schliessen. – Die gewöhnlichsten Irrschlüsse der Menschen sind diese: eine Sache existirt, also hat sie ein Recht. Hier wird aus der Lebensfähigkeit auf die Zweckmässigkeit, aus der Zweckmässigkeit auf die Rechtmässigkeit geschlossen. Sodann: eine Meinung beglückt, also ist sie die wahre, ihre Wirkung ist gut, also ist sie selber gut und wahr. Hier legt man der Wirkung das Prädicat beglückend, gut, im Sinne des Nützlichen, bei und versieht nun die Ursache mit dem selben Prädicat gut, aber hier im Sinne des Logisch-Gültigen. Die Umkehrung der Sätze lautet: eine Sache kann sich nicht durchsetzen, erhalten, also ist sie unrecht; eine Meinung quält, regt auf, also ist sie falsch. Der Freigeist, der das Fehlerhafte dieser Art zu schliessen nur allzu häufig kennen lernt und an ihren Folgen zu leiden hat, unterliegt oft der Verführung, die entgegengesetzten Schlüsse zu machen, welche im Allgemeinen natürlich ebenso sehr Irrschlüsse sind: eine Sache kann sich nicht durchsetzen, also ist sie gut; eine Meinung macht Noth, beunruhigt, also ist sie wahr.

Sources:

I will read a Dutch translation that is based on the work of researchers Colli and Montinari. I also use a translation from R.J.Hollingdale and the Gary Handwerk translation from the Colli-Montinari edition. Both are more modern than the copyright free translation I use here. This is a translation from 1909 by Helen Zimmern, who knew Nietzsche personally, but there was no critical study of Nietzsche’s work done back then and this translation suffers from that. The same goes for the translation from Alexander Harvey. My German is not good enough to pretend that I can translate it better than the professionals do but I will use the original as a referee.

  1. Menselijk al te menselijk een boek voor vrije geesten, translated by Thomas Graftdijk, 2000. Buy it here
  2. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by R.J.Hollingdale, 1986
  3. Human, all too human a book for free spirits I V3, translated by Gary handwerk 1997
  4. Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I, translated by Helen Zimmern 1909. Read it  here
  5. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by Alexander Harvey, 1908. Read it here
  6. Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80. Read it here

 

 

Day 629, about art.

Day's pictures

Day 629-1

I have a pipe in my office and I took a picture of it. I like taking pictures of ordinary things. In this case I played around with the original picture till this came to me. I normally don’t know where I go when I manipulate pictures, I follow some routines, go there, ctrl-z and at some point, it’s there. Most of the time I really like what I made but only time will tell if I was deceived.

Rant: I also don’t like to control my appreciation for someone else’s art or pictures. But I draw the line if I don’t know if that fire extinguisher on the wall is part of the exhibition or is there by law. That is the kind of art that needs a lot of words to explain and therefore is no longer art. Visual art for me is something that fits like a puzzle in your mind and its only role is to please and  to let you appreciate the craftsmanship. Leave the stories to the story tellers and philosophy to the philosophers. Artist are the biggest liars because they can delve into the deepest well of imagination and ask of us to decipher their brains exhausts. Pretentious art is not for me, showing your deepest fear is like telling me about your pain when all you did was growing up in our comfortable society, we have to invent our pain these days, its fake. And finally watermarking your photography is the ultimate pretense, there is no originality anymore so don’t pretend you are and if money is the reason for life, I’m sorry for you.

Human all too human: 29. Intoxicated by the scent of the blossoms

Human all too human

Reading Friedrich Nietzsche’s Human all too human

Read the introduction here

You can read the aphorism I discuss here in English and German below the main article.

My take on it.

Deep thoughts make us better than animals, and we will get closer to the essence of the world, but we prefer religion or art over science to get there. But these are not better ways to understand the world. This error made man deep and it gave us religion and art. Pure knowledge could not have brought does two in the world, because whoever shows us the real world bring disillusion. The world of art and religion is so wonderful and brings all kinds of emotions. because of this they deny the real world of knowledge. This results in a philosophy that logically (Does F.N. mean that the depth of their world is their justification?) denies the real world and this view can still be combined with affirming or denying the real world.

In one sentence:

The real world can exist together with the deniers.

 Synopsis, quote from the translation by Helen Zimmern and my take on it

It is believed that the deeper man thinks, the more delicately he feels the higher he rises above the animals, Deep thoughts make us better than animals, the nearer will he approach the real essence of the world and its knowledge. and we will get closer to the essence of the world,  Man does that through science, but he likes to do it more through art and religions. But we prefer religion or art over science to get there. These certainly are blossoms of the world, but by no means any nearer to the root of the world than the stalk. But it is not a better way for understanding the nature of things although most believe so. But these are not better ways to understand the world. Error has made man so deep, sensitive, and inventive that he has put forth such blossoms as religions and arts. This error made man deep and it gave us religion and art, Pure knowledge could not have been capable of it. pure knowledge could not have brought does two in the world, Whoever shows us the real world will bring us the most disagreeable disillusionment1. because whoever shows us the real world bring disillusion. Not the world as thing-in-itself, but the world as representation (as error) is so full of meaning, so deep, so wonderful, bearing happiness and unhappiness in its lap. The world of art and religion is so wonderful and brings all kinds of emotions. This result leads to a philosophy of the logical denial of the world, which, because of this they deny the real world. however, can be combined with a practical world-affirming just as well as with its opposite. This results in a philosophy that logically (Does F.N. mean that the depth of their world is their justification?) denies the real world and this view can still be combined with affirming or denying the real world.

1 A feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be.

Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I translated by Helen Zimmern 1909

  1. INTOXICATED BY THE SCENT OF THE BLOSSOMS.—It is supposed that the ship of humanity has always a deeper draught, the heavier it is laden ; it is believed that the deeper a man thinks, the more delicately he feels, the higher he values himself, the greater his distance from the other animals,—the more he appears as a genius amongst the animals,—all the nearer will he approach the real essence of the world and its knowledge; this he actually does too, through science, but he means to do so still more through his religions and arts. These certainly are blossoms of the world, but by no means any nearer to the root of the world than the stalk ; it is not possible to understand the nature of things better through them, although almost every one believes he can. Error has made man so deep, sensitive, and inventive that he has put forth such blossoms as religions and arts. Pure knowledge could not have been capable of it. Whoever were to unveil for us the essence of the world would give us all the most disagreeable disillusionment. Not the world as thing-in-itself, but the world as representation (as error) is so full of meaning, so deep, so wonderful, bearing happiness and unhappiness in its bosom. This result leads to a philosophy of the logical denial of the world, which, however, can be combined with a practical world-affirming just as well as with its opposite.

Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80

  1. Vom Dufte der Blüthen berauscht. – Das Schiff der Menschheit, meint man, hat einen immer stärkeren Tiefgang, je mehr es belastet wird; man glaubt, je tiefer der Mensch denkt, je zarter er fühlt, je höher er sich schätzt, je weiter seine Entfernung von den anderen Thieren wird, – je mehr er als das Genie unter den Thieren erscheint, – um so näher werde er dem wirklichen Wesen der Welt und deren Erkenntniss kommen: diess thut er auch wirklich durch die Wissenschaft, aber er meint diess noch mehr durch seine Religionen und Künste zu thun. Diese sind zwar eine Blüthe der Welt, aber durchaus nicht der Wurzel der Welt näher, als der Stengel ist: man kann aus ihnen das Wesen der Dinge gerade gar nicht besser verstehen, obschon diess fast jedermann glaubt. Der Irrthum hat den Menschen so tief, zart, erfinderisch gemacht, eine solche Blüthe, wie Religionen und Künste, herauszutreiben. Das reine Erkennen wäre dazu ausser Stande gewesen. Wer uns das Wesen der Welt enthüllte, würde uns Allen die unangenehmste Enttäuschung machen. Nicht die Welt als Ding an sich, sondern die Welt als Vorstellung (als Irrthum) ist so bedeutungsreich, tief, wundervoll, Glück und Unglück im Schoosse tragend. Diess Resultat führt zu einer Philosophie der logischen Weltverneinung: welche übrigens sich mit einer praktischen Weltbejahung ebensogut wie mit deren Gegentheile vereinigen lässt.

Sources:

I will read a Dutch translation that is based on the work of researchers Colli and Montinari. I also use a translation from R.J.Hollingdale and the Gary Handwerk translation from the Colli-Montinari edition. Both are more modern than the copyright free translation I use here. This is a translation from 1909 by Helen Zimmern, who knew Nietzsche personally, but there was no critical study of Nietzsche’s work done back then and this translation suffers from that. The same goes for the translation from Alexander Harvey. My German is not good enough to pretend that I can translate it better than the professionals do but I will use the original as a referee.

  1. Menselijk al te menselijk een boek voor vrije geesten, translated by Thomas Graftdijk, 2000. Buy it here
  2. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by R.J.Hollingdale, 1986
  3. Human, all too human a book for free spirits I V3, translated by Gary handwerk 1997
  4. Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I, translated by Helen Zimmern 1909. Read it  here
  5. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by Alexander Harvey, 1908. Read it here
  6. Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80. Read it here

 

 

Human all too human: 28. Ill famed words

Human all too human

Reading Friedrich Nietzsche’s Human all too human

Read the introduction here

You can read the aphorism I discuss here in English and German below the main article.

My take on it.

The words optimism and pessimism are now useless. The only optimist is one that defends the perfect world of God, and wat thinker believes in a God. The pessimist can only attack the theologians by proclaiming that the world is bad, but who attacks theologians nowadays? Besides the theology and the struggle against it, the world is not good and not bad, only humans(optimist/pessimist) can be “good and bad”, and these words might not be used in the right way here3. We must get rid of the idea of a good and bad world.

In one sentence:

Heathens and saints are bad and human, the world is neutral.

Synopsis, quote from the translation by Helen Zimmern and my take on it

Away with those overused words optimism and pessimism! There is not much use for them anymore. The words optimism and pessimism are now useless. Only the chatterboxes (Schwätzer1) uses it. Why would you be an optimist unless he had a God to defend who must have created the best of worlds if he himself be goodness and perfection, but who needs the hypothesis of a God? The only optimist is one that defends the perfect world of God and what thinker believes in a God. But there is no need for the pessimist if we are not interested in harassing the defenders of god, the theologians, or the theologizing philosophers and forcefully defending the opposite point of view: that evil reigns, that pain is greater than pleasure, that the world is a bungled piece of work, the manifestation of an ill-will to life. The pessimist can only attack the theologians by proclaiming that the world is bad, but who attacks theologians nowadays? But who still bothers about the theologians now— except the theologians? Apart from all theology and its contentions2, Besides the theology and the struggle against it,  it is quite clear that the world is not good and not bad the world is not good and not bad, (to say nothing of its being the best or the worst), and that the terms ” good ” and ” bad ” have only significance with respect to man, only humans can be and indeed, perhaps, they are not justified even here in the way they are usually employed; “good and bad”, and these words might3 not been used in the right way here. We must get rid of the idea of a good and bad world.

1Schwätzer (From the original text): rattler, chatterbox, chatterer, windbag, gasbag, gossip

2 Zimmern and Harvey translated “Bekämpfung“ with contention and antagonism, you can also translate it with argument or disagreement. In Zimmern and Harveys words: the theologians have a disagreement: “Apart from all theology and its contentions”. I assume the theology disagree with the disbelievers. The other translators made that clearer despite that Zimmern and Harvey were more correct/literal in their translations.  Hollingale translates it as: “Disregarding theology and opposition to theology “, Handwerk translate it as: “Apart from all theology and struggle against it”, and the Dutch translation does it in a similar way, they all explain it.

3”Good and bad…are not justified even here in the way they are usually employed“ At this moment I don’t know what Nietzsche means with “usually employed”, what is the normal situation you use the words good and bad and why can you not use it in this situation?

Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I translated by Helen Zimmern 1909

  1. ILL-FAMED WORDS.—Away with those wearisomely hackneyed terms Optimism and Pessimism ! For the occasion for using them becomes less and less from day to day ; only the chatterboxes still find them so absolutely necessary. For why in all the world should any one wish to be an optimist unless he had a God to defend who must have created the best of worlds if he himself be goodness and perfection,—what thinker, however, still needs the hypothesis of a God ? But every occasion for a pessimistic confession of faith is also lacking when one has no interest in being annoyed at the advocates of God (the theologians, or the theologising philosophers), and in energetically defending the opposite view, that evil reigns, that pain is greater than pleasure, that the world is a bungled piece of work, the manifestation of an ill-will to life. But who still bothers about the theologians now— except the theologians ? Apart from all theology and its contentions, it is quite clear that the world is not good and not bad (to say nothing of its being the best or the worst), and that the terms ” good ” and ” bad ” have only significance with respect to man, and indeed, perhaps, they are not justified even here in the way they are usually employed ; in any case we must get rid of both the calumniating and the glorifying conception of the world.

Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80

  1. Verrufene Worte. – Weg mit den bis zum Ueberdruss verbrauchten Wörtern Optimismus und Pessimismus! Denn der Anlass, sie zu gebrauchen, fehlt von Tag zu Tage mehr: nur die Schwätzer haben sie jetzt noch so unumgänglich nöthig. Denn wesshalb in aller Welt sollte jemand Optimist sein wollen, wenn er nicht einen Gott zu vertheidigen hat, welcher die beste der Welten geschaffen haben muss, falls er selber das Gute und Vollkommene ist, – welcher Denkende hat aber die Hypothese eines Gottes noch nöthig? – Es fehlt aber auch jeder Anlass zu einem pessimistischen Glaubensbekenntniss, wenn man nicht ein Interesse daran hat, den Advocaten Gottes, den Theologen oder den theologisirenden Philosophen ärgerlich zu werden und die Gegenbehauptung kräftig aufzustellen: dass das Böse regiere, dass die Unlust grösser sei, als die Lust, dass die Welt ein Machwerk, die Erscheinung eines bösen Willens zum Leben sei. Wer aber kümmert sich jetzt noch um die Theologen – ausser den Theologen? – Abgesehen von aller Theologie und ihrer Bekämpfung liegt es auf der Hand, dass die Welt nicht gut und nicht böse, geschweige denn die beste oder die schlechteste ist, und dass diese Begriffe “gut” und “böse” nur in Bezug auf Menschen Sinn haben, ja vielleicht selbst hier, in der Weise, wie sie gewöhnlich gebraucht werden, nicht berechtigt sind: der schimpfenden und verherrlichenden Weltbetrachtung müssen wir uns in jedem Falle entschlagen.

Sources:

I will read a Dutch translation that is based on the work of researchers Colli and Montinari. I also use a translation from R.J.Hollingdale and the Gary Handwerk translation from the Colli-Montinari edition. Both are more modern than the copyright free translation I use here. This is a translation from 1909 by Helen Zimmern, who knew Nietzsche personally, but there was no critical study of Nietzsche’s work done back then and this translation suffers from that. The same goes for the translation from Alexander Harvey. My German is not good enough to pretend that I can translate it better than the professionals do but I will use the original as a referee.

  1. Menselijk al te menselijk een boek voor vrije geesten, translated by Thomas Graftdijk, 2000. Buy it here
  2. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by R.J.Hollingdale, 1986
  3. Human, all too human a book for free spirits I V3, translated by Gary handwerk 1997
  4. Human, all too human a book for free spirits Part I, translated by Helen Zimmern 1909. Read it  here
  5. Human, all too human a book for free spirits, translated by Alexander Harvey, 1908. Read it here
  6. Menschliches allzu menschlich 1878/80. Read it here

 

 

Day 627, mass graves.

Day's pictures

Day 627-1

This picture of some rocks protruding out of the water remind me of some abstract style of painting I have seen before. I see a lot of agony, crawling and screaming, maybe that’s just me.

I read a lot of books, I follow the news and I sometimes wonder why. The house I live in now is old, there is no landline or cable, and in the house, we have no cellphone connection. For that we must go out looking for one, people cannot call us for that reason. Because I wanted internet I had to install a strong directional antenna on top of the hill behind my house for a decent 4G signal. This all works pretty good, but I wonder what it would be like if I didn’t had internet, and therefore no contact with the world. At my job I don’t need to talk about the news, so I would be pretty much out of the loop, well after I also throw away my cellphone…Donald Trump, who is that? How many dead? What nuclear bomb?

But even if I hear the news, most of the it doesn’t affect me…so why does it still torturing me? My fiancé is American, that way I have some family over there, but I still wonder why I reacted so strongly last year when the election results came in. I woke up in the middle of the night to follow those debates and the elections…I don’t know why. And when it got elected I was angry, I uninstalled all my news apps and wanted nothing more to do with the world. That lasted maybe a day, but I still don’t know why something that doesn’t directly impact me made me so angry.

I knew it all along off course but like in that picture, you sometimes get overwhelmed and pulled along with the current screaming and kicking. If you study history enough than you will see thing happening again and again. I don’t think that America is a fascist country yet but having set that, this is the same way the fascist came to power. It is so easy in a democracy to stir people up and let them believe the strangest things. And I am pretty sure that Trump and his supporters would have been on the side of Hitler had they lived there and then. And I’m not angry at Trump, he’s just a dumb rich guy stumbling through his easy life, I’m angry at all the people that voted for them, I’m angry that people have not learned the lessons from history. And I’m extra angry at the people in Holland, where I grew up, where they also have some proto fascist longing for power and getting it.

BU 3741I wrote in the beginning about what I see in that picture of the rocks…it reminds me of the mass graves that were discovered by the Russians and Americans in and around the concentration camps when ww2 was almost over. In Nazi Germany millions of normal, God obeying people helped killing millions of other people, their neighbors in many cases. Millions of people around the world have that same seed of hate in them as the Nazi’s did.

I can go on and on about this, and, I will. I keep my internet, and to quell the helplessness I feel I write about, and study it so that I at least can say that I tried. I wished that more people did that and learn from history.

Day 626, look closer.

Day's pictures

Day 626-1

I like taking pictures of details from ordinary things, when there are only a few parts in focus. It reminds me of real life where our eyes have everything in focus all the time. Where our minds see also a picture as in a cinema, nice in focus, fare away and big. But when you go out of focus, get closer, and only see the little details you might be surprised.

In the summer I like to take closeup pictures of insects. When I walk in the garden I see no insects, maybe a fly or a bee but not much more, so where to go? Normally I will go sit in the grass close to some bushes and just wait. I lean a little bit closer to the ground maybe and then you slowly start to see a whole new world. First you see nothing but take some time, study the surrounding and you see things you would normally never see. This is analogues to real life: you have an idea; an opinion is welling up, you see it in front of you and an emotion takes over, whispers to you the thoughts that come first. But what if you sit down, in the grass there by the bushes. You let your mind settle down and slowly you wait till the details come insight. Maybe you discover the small creatures crawling in your thoughts that unknown to you where guiding your thoughts that you had when you were standing just there before. Life and living keeps so much more hidden for you if you don’t take the time to question yourself.

Here you can see some of the pictures I have taken while sitting in my garden.