The Wanderer and His Shadow

(Originally written July 16, 2007 in Book 25)

The Wanderer and His Shadow (1880)

33: Elements of revenge

The word revenge is said too quickly. Men search for a single root and meaning to the word. But words are pockets into which many things have been put. Thus revenge is something very composite.

Revenge (in some cases) is merely an act of self preservation. When a thing harms us we must harm it back. We act without any wish to do harm but only to get away.

A second type of revenge involves time. We think no longer on ourselves but focus on our enemy. In this type of revenge further harm to us is forgotten to the point we almost always harm ourselves more in the act of revenge. This type of revenge is restoration. But in reality only one loss, the loss of honor can actually be restored.

Fear brings about self-preservation revenge. A lack of fear brings about restoration revenge.

One cannot take revenge against those he despises because if one he despises injures him he cannot have his honor injured by him. Those with honor are not concerned with those they see as unhonorably. Those he despises can neither accord him honor nor take it away.

"Everyone will revenge himself unless he is without honor or full of contempt or full of love for the person who has harmed and insulted him" (Nietzsche, 162).

Judicial punishment restores both private honor and the honor of society; thus, punishment is revenge.

Punishment despises to prevent further damage and to deter.

194: Dreams

On rare occasions where dreams achieve perfection they become symbolic chains of imagery in narrative poetic language. "We use up too much artistry in our dreams - and therefore often are impoverished during the day" (Nietzsche, 163).

202: Tourists

Tourists are stupid; they climb mountains like animals because one has forgotten to tell them that there are beautiful views on the way to the top.

203: Too much and too little

"All men now live through too much and think through too little" (Nietzsche, 163).

204: End and goal

Not every end is the goal.

208: How to have all men against you

"If anyone dared to say now, 'whoever is not for me, is against me', he would immediately have all men against him'. This does our time honor." (163). --> Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23, Bush policy on terror.

249: Positive and Negative

"This thinker needs nobody to refute him: for that he suffices himself" (163)

Arrogant twit!

263: Way to equality

Exhaustion is the shortest way to equality and fraternity. Liberty is added eventually by sleep.

297: Not to wish to see too soon

One must surrender to the experience in order to acquire wisdom.

298: From the practice of wise men

To become wise one must wish to have certain experiences and run into the gaping jaws of them. Many wise men have been swallowed.

301: A testimony of love

To love someone is not to reflect on them too thoroughly

302: How one tries to improve bad arguments

Many men try to put personality into bad arguments to straighten them out like a man who throws a bowling ball and then makes gestures to straighten it.

That is funny, this is one of my favorites.

307: When taking leave is needed

You must take time away from what you would know, only after leaving can you truly know it.

317: Opinions and Fish

Possessing opinions is like possessing fish, if one has their own fish pond. One must go fishing and have some luck. Others are satisfied with fossils and have convictions in their heads.

322: Death

Death could make life sweet with levity. But apothecary souls have made it poison that makes all of life repulsive.

323: Remorse

Never give way to remorse; giving way to remorse adds a second stupidity to a first. "If you have done harm, see how you can do a good. If you are punished... bear the punishment with the feeling you are doing good - by deterring others from falling prey to the same folly. Every evildoer who is punished may feel that he is a benefactor of humanity" (165).

326: Don't touch!

Some people confuse problems worse with their meddling. Whoever can't hit the nail on the head should not hit it at all.

333: Dying for the "truth"

We should not be burnt for our opinions because we are unsure of them. We should change our opinions.