Nietzsche is often misinterpreted as being a nihilist – as somebody who only wants to burn things down. But his idea of Eternal recurrence is an example of how his philosophy can be wonderfully life-affirming. It’s a mental shift which allows us to be happier and more fulfilled.
Nietzsche asks you to imagine a demon who says, ‘This life, as you live it now and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more. And there will be nothing new in it. But every pain and every joy, every thought and sigh, and everything unutterably small or great in your life will return to you in the same succession and sequence.’
What is your initial response to this? How do you feel about the idea of reliving your life exactly the same way over and over again? If the idea bores you or fills you with dread, then for Nietzsche, there is a problem. You’ve become a passive object in life. You’ve let things happen to you. You are like some limp windsock, reluctantly and listlessly flapping to the strongest breeze.
Nietzsche then offers an antidote to this. Known as #amorfati, or ‘love your fate.’ This means accepting and welcoming the cards as they’re dealt. Do not ‘will backwards’ and wish for a different life, but rather accept your past and use it for the future. Weaponize your past.
We must love our fate because it is our unique human experience. We must take pride in our path, no matter how rocky, because we have walked it. Do not let life happen to you but walk your path proudly.
Learn More with this recently published book,
The Weight of Forever: Living with Nietzsche's Concept of Eternal Recurrence
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