Weird Studies/Nietzsche on History

02 Apr 2022 12:34 - 16 Dec 2022 12:22
Open in Logseq
    • Nietzsche's character, the difference between the literary form and his real one.
    • Good new word, interpellation, which is how Nietzsche kind of forcefully grans and re-constructs his reader. At least that's my interpretation of what they are saying. I've noticed this same thing in other writers, notably Sloterdijk.
    • Recommended Alexander Nehamas, Nietzsche: Life as Literature, in the context of Nietzsche's frequent self-contradiction. Best understood through transformation, not a mere bunch of propositions.
    • Awareness of history as a peculiarly human trait, animals may be conscious but not in that way, not of that.
      • Not that they talked about this, but is history basically ≡ narrative? That is, history is just a sort of collective narrative sensemaking, and personal narratives aren't that different.
    • Three kinds of history: critical, monumental, heroic? DIdn't quite capture that one. Seems to me there are lots of approaches to history, don't see why those should exhaust the possibilities. But not really my area of expertise. Also seems to leave out Marxism which if nothing else is an attitude towards history...and not just "critical", which is probably the bucket it would fall in.
    • The discussion about Confederate monuments seemed way the hell off base to me, it ignored the blatantly political purposes they serve. Seemed really odd not to mention that, but maybe I'm more of a standard liberal than they are, or maybe they just don't think politically as much as I do. Anyway that was just a side point so not to make a big deal of it.
    • Two ways of escaping (transcending?) history: the unhistorical (which is just forgetting and very common) and the suprahistorical, which is tantalizingly vague, but seems to involve a light playful sprit that can appreciate (or cause) the manifestation of the eternal in the midst of the flow of time and the historical. Cites Finite and Infinite Games.
    • "Seriousness is Stupidity sent to College" – PJ O'Rourke(?)
      • in the context of Nietzsche on Wagner. Music more laughter, tragedy is OK but less ponderousness please.