Some thoughts on “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” Part Two — Of Self-Overcoming

Nietzsche thinks that all living creatures are of obeying and commanding. That connects every individual into a cluster, in which a servant of the greater is also a master of the weaker. The greatest are more difficult because they have to judge and be judged all by themselves with their rules, also an inevitable defeat will be brought by the next stronger will to power.

Weakest 🙇🏻‍♂️➡ Weaker 🙇🏻‍♂️➡ Greater 🙇🏻‍♂️➡ Greatest 🙇🏻‍♂️➡ Rules (ever changing)

1. All living creatures are obeying creatures.

2. he who cannot obey himself will be commanded.

3. that commanding is more difficult than obeying.

even when he commands himself: then also must he make amends for his commanding. He must become judge and avenger and victim of his own law.

The devotion of the greatest is to encounter risk and danger and play dice for death. And where sacrifice and service and loving glances are, there too is will to be master. There the weaker steals by secret paths into the castle and even into the heart of the more powerful — and steals the power.

Nietzsche, Friedrich. Thus Spoke Zarathustra (p. 137, 138). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

Self-Overcoming

Living is an endless self-overcoming, the today us have overcome the yesterday us, so the tomorrow. For instance, we will change our beliefs when they do not fit the current situation.

For Nietzsche his overcoming is the faith in God. For me it is the excessive vigilance that keeps me safe.

This self-overcoming for the sake of power is a natural recurrence, like the falling of leaves from a tree.

And life itself told me this secret: ‘Behold,’ it said, ‘I am that which must overcome itself again and again.

‘I would rather perish than renounce this one thing; and truly, where there is perishing and the falling of leaves, behold, there life sacrifices itself — for the sake of power!

‘Whatever I create and however much I love it — soon I have to oppose it and my love: thus will my will have it.

Nietzsche, Friedrich. Thus Spoke Zarathustra (p. 138). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

Will to Power

One’s individuality can be reflected through the things that he values higher than life. If there is a life-risking oppression, still upholding the beliefs shows the best of the will to power. It helps destroy the existing and give birth the new.

‘He who shot the doctrine of “will to existence” at truth certainly did not hit the truth: this will — does not exist! ‘For what does not exist cannot will; but that which is in existence, how could it still want to come into existence? ‘Only where life is, there is also will: not will to life, but — so I teach you — will to power! ‘The living creature values many things higher than life itself; yet out of this evaluation itself speaks — the will to power!’

Nietzsche, Friedrich. Thus Spoke Zarathustra (p. 137, 138). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

Good and Evil

Again Nietzsche thinks that there are no absolute values, they are like an egg and egg shell in which a chick is growing and getting ready to break, the process of destroying and creating is the overcoming of the good and evil, it is driven by the will to power.

Unchanging good and evil does not exist! From out of themselves they must overcome themselves again and again.

a mightier power and a new overcoming grow from out your values: egg and egg-shell break against them. And he who has to be a creator in good and evil, truly, has first to be a destroyer and break values.

Nietzsche, Friedrich. Thus Spoke Zarathustra (p. 139). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

My thoughts

Some countries value stability as a whole over development of peoples’ individuality, this authority’s will to power must be overcome, because it undermines the essential will for everyone to live a genuine and distinctive life.

The more people realise their will to power, the weaker the authority. That is why the authority discourages it by promoting patriotism and puts those who do not follow to shame. However, the awakened are able to see the fallacy.

To extend our will to power, we do not need an authority as the master, we are the master, we should be involved in the overcoming of good and evil.