Most of us strive for happiness in life, whether it be by seeking it directly through pleasures or by seeking it indirectly doing one’s duty, or a combination of both. In the first part of Either/Or, containing the papers of an anonymous aesthete, Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard dedicates a chapter on the problem of boredomContinue reading “KIERKEGAARD: How To Avoid Boredom and Maximise Happiness”
Author Archives: Eternalised
NIETZSCHE: Living in Solitude and Dealing with Society
“Choose the good solitude, the free, high-spirited, light-hearted solitude that, in some sense, gives you the right to stay good yourself!” Beyond Good and Evil, §25 Nietzsche’s life was one of solitude, his later period in life was spent almost in complete isolation. At the age of 24, he was offered to become a professorContinue reading “NIETZSCHE: Living in Solitude and Dealing with Society”
NIETZSCHE: The Übermensch (Overman)
In Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, there are three major teachings that the sage Zarathustra has to offer: the will to power, the eternal recurrence and the übermensch. We have explored the ideas of the will to power and the eternal recurrence in-depth in previous posts. Now we will be doing the same here with theContinue reading “NIETZSCHE: The Übermensch (Overman)”
Book Review: The Present Age – Søren Kierkegaard
“There is no more action or decision in our day than there is perilous delight in swimming in shallow waters.” In “The Present Age”, Søren Kierkegaard discusses the philosophical implications of a society dominated by mass media, foreseeing the rise of twenty-four hour news and social media, it examines the philosophical implications of a cultureContinue reading “Book Review: The Present Age – Søren Kierkegaard”
Book Review: Human, All Too Human – Nietzsche
Introduction Human, All Too Human: A Book for Free Spirits was published by Friedrich Nietzsche in 1878 and represents a “monument of a crisis” for Nietzsche, a critical turning point in his life and thought. His long friendship with Richard Wagner had come to a halt. Moreover, Nietzsche’s bad health forced him to leave hisContinue reading “Book Review: Human, All Too Human – Nietzsche”
Book Review: Either/Or – Søren Kierkegaard
Either/Or: A Fragment of Life was published by Søren Kierkegaard in 1843, making it his first major work. The book was written under the pseudonym Victor Eremita “Victorious Hermit”. In the preface, Victor Eremita tells us that he has found two papers in an old desk. They express the viewpoints of two distinct figures withContinue reading “Book Review: Either/Or – Søren Kierkegaard”
Book Review: Memories, Dreams, Reflections – Carl Jung
Memories, Dreams, Reflections is the autobiography of Carl Jung written in collaboration with his close associate Aniela Jaffé. It was published a year after his death in 1962. At his advanced age he would not undertake anything of the sort unless he felt it was a “task” imposed on him from within. Jung had spokenContinue reading “Book Review: Memories, Dreams, Reflections – Carl Jung”
Book Review: Waiting for Godot – Samuel Beckett
Waiting for Godot is a 1953 play by Samuel Beckett that has become one of the most important and enigmatic plays of the 20th century. The story revolves around two men waiting for someone – or something – named Godot. The result is a comical wordplay of poetry, landscapes, and nonsense, which has been interpretedContinue reading “Book Review: Waiting for Godot – Samuel Beckett”
Book Review: The Dream of a Ridiculous Man – Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Dream of a Ridiculous Man is a short story published in 1877 by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The book is subtitled as “A Fantastic Story”, since it is essentially a tale of the imagination. According to Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man is “practically a complete encyclopedia of Dostoevsky’s most important themes”.Continue reading “Book Review: The Dream of a Ridiculous Man – Fyodor Dostoevsky”
Book Review: Man and His Symbols – Carl Jung
Man and His Symbols is the last work undertaken by Carl Jung before his death in 1961. He had never tried to popularise his work and refused several attempts by his colleagues to persuade him to do so. At this moment he had a dream. Instead of talking to the great scholars, he was directingContinue reading “Book Review: Man and His Symbols – Carl Jung”