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I've always been fascinated by Friedrich Nietzsche but have only in the past few years done any research on him and have only read very little. As Mark Twain once said, Classics are books that everyone wants to have read but no one wants to have read. But I have a summer of free time ahead of me so I registered at our friendly library and took out a biography on him and Will To Power, which is already amazing. I read most of Thus Spoke Zarathurstra, which is one of my favorite books of all time (sadly, it wasn't at the library).

Anyone else actually read anything of him, and not just idolize him without sufficient research like I used to?

Yes and no, I like the astute man from afar and perhaps only his quotes.

"Invisible threads are the strongest ties" — Friedrich Nietzsche.

Threads of love and friendship are undetectable but nevertheless tie you to someone just as much as sturdy rope. This was used on our much-loved family member’s bereavement card to symbolise that the invisible thread will never be broken.

Enjoy your summer reading, we are heading into winter here!

I've read him and really like the way he makes me think. I ultimately disagree with what he says about the differences between science, religion, and art in The Birth of Tragedy. He seems to be saying that while science fails to fully explain life, religion kills life by making us focus less on this world and on worldly things than on an afterlife and the pursuits of it. He seems to favor art, which he says offers a diversion from pain and boredom but does not supplant life like religion.

But it seems to me that religion and art both act as diversions. Both help us to forget the here and now as they take us to other worlds, whether imaginary or not.

I suppose it's really hard to actually discuss what Nietzsche is saying in his books without getting into a deep religious debate, annnnd I'm not interested in starting one. But, I will say his thoughts on nihilism really inspire me. In a good, productive way. To realize your true potential and to take responsibility for that is one of his doctrines I take with me everyday.

I agree that his desire for us to focus more on today and this one life we have on earth is inspiring.

And even though I said I disagree with his distinction between the roles of art and religion, I do believe that both can either overpower or illuminate our lives, depending on how we use them.

I don't know a lot about him but I do know he was a very big influence on the later poetry of our great poet, W B Yeats. I always preferred Yeats earlier poetry so I blame the influence of Nietzsche for the later stuff which I don't like or understand.

There is an innocence to nihilism that makes it attractive school of thought. However, it is not hard to punch holes in the theory. Read Fathers and sons by Turgenev to see a young man try and fail in his attempt to fully embrace nihilism.

I like the way he presents things and life. He is sophisticated and he requires an experienced reader with good knowledge of some phylosophy who likes analysing.

Didn't he get his PhD in Greek philology or something? Mad respect.

I love Nietzsche! It's been a while since I read anything by him, but he was a cool dude to say the least. Like several of you have already said, his way of thinking was pretty neat. I particularly liked his thoughts on religion, i.e. god is dead. If I remember correctly, he thought that people should spend less time thinking about how they should act in order to have a rewarding afterlife and instead live more for today and for making life better for everybody. Anyway, someone needs to start a reading circle with Nietzsche's writings...

One of my favorite quotes of his is: "There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."

Anxious Educator wrote:I love Nietzsche! It's been a while since I read anything by him, but he was a cool dude to say the least. Like several of you have already said, his way of thinking was pretty neat. I particularly liked his thoughts on religion, i.e. god is dead. If I remember correctly, he thought that people should spend less time thinking about how they should act in order to have a rewarding afterlife and instead live more for today and for making life better for everybody. Anyway, someone needs to start a reading circle with Nietzsche's writings...

One of my favorite quotes of his is: "There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."

I approve of starting a reading circle around Nietzsche's writings. Count me in!

I have never read anything of his. Thanks for having this topic on here, because I now have a curiosity for his work. If I ever stumble across anything of his I will definitely pick it up. Thanks!

-- 26 Mar 2014, 15:16 --

Oh, and the reading circle would be interesting too!