Thanks for reading my report. I look forward to your feedback.

I’d also love to hear what you find by looking at the “the judge and the judged”. I realise this may take some time but when you feel you’ve come to some conclusion or discovery I’d like to hear what it is if you’d like to tell others.

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Sometimes when something we read or experience strikes us powerfully, it is time to step back, really look at one’s reaction and find it’s origin.

I think you did that effectively with this quote and changed it just enough to reflect what is real for you.

I had a similar moment as I read here, but not the main quote. I can hear Nietzsche’s quote and find no consolation there. It has an element of ‘being done to’ by something or someone out of our control that can, like you said, have life altering effects. I can also hear the hopeful. Hard to know which court I want to be in.

What I’m going to look at however is “the judge and judged”.

P.S. Still re-reading those 17,000 words (and all the ones behind them!) Will get you some feedback soon, hopefully not nearly as long!

I think you mean that the idea of ‘that which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger’ does hold for some people. As you say, there are two ways to go and some people ‘choose’ prison and/or death. I am aware that this is the logical conclusion.

As you say we may carry physical injuries. I am very optimistic about people’s ability to heal. However I think this means acknowledging our vulnerability.

I also should say that I am often in awe of what people do cope with and ‘overcome’. I do not have major trauma in my past. Those who do I am usually amazed by. As I have talked with people I have almost always been surprised by how well they are doing. The resources of strength and resilience that people access often are remarkable.

Thanks for your comment.

I like the Walter Kaufman translation.

I do think Luther and Nietzsche do have a very similar feel to them.

And I do think too that Nietzsche was very much a mystic in his own way. And he would have no doubt insisted that it was his own way.

Thankyou for your comment.

Likewise for psychological trauma. Of course it can weaken resolve and give a sore spot, or even cause a spiral of self-destruction. But perhaps you aren’t taking the ‘incident’ to its logical conclusion. If a psychological trauma starts a spiral of self-hatred or depression or even suicidal thoughts there are still only two outcomes: Eventual decline into madness and/or suicide, or recovery and rejoining the rest of the world. Psychological death.. or psychological rebirth and with a much higher tolerance for further trauma.

I believe the tenet holds true. That which does not kill us, definitely makes us stronger.

But still, I find the discussion quite interesting. Well done.

you say the writing is beautiful, even in translation. what translation are you referring to? in german, it is truly beautiful language; often makes me think of the writing of martin luther, who revolutionized the german language. the translations i’ve read haven’t done justice to this amazing writer.

what i find interesting is that despite all his “god is dead” protestations, he actually is very much a mystic.