Nowadays a lot of people have existential crises. They ask themselves: Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? Why must I suffer this existence? Their question reflects an age old question:...Show moreNowadays a lot of people have existential crises. They ask themselves: Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? Why must I suffer this existence? Their question reflects an age old question: suffering for what? They fall prey to nihilistic tendencies, a loss of all meaning. A pain, a depression, a pessimism that they do not seem to be able to shake. They lack the strength of Atlas, who carried the world on his shoulders. The burdens of the earth too heavy for them to bear. Taking life serious is a massive mountain weighing upon one’s shoulders. I want to release these darkened souls of humanity from the anchor that keeps them from lifting up to the lightness of the clouds and teach them of the laughter of the child. By reading Nietzsche's 'Genealogy of Morality' through the 'metamorphosis of Zarathustra' I want to show how the metaphor of 'the Child' is able to combat and overcome the nihilism, that Nietzsche speaks of in the Genealogy, through the act of not-taking-serious, or even more so, making-fun-of any form of nihilism. When we understand the steps of the metamorphosis, the reading of the Genealogy of Morality will become clearer. Not only will this provide us with a deeper insight into the Genealogy, but it will also offer us the necessary tools to extend beyond the conclusion of the Genealogy of Morality. This conclusion being: “to conclude by saying what I said at the beginning: man still prefers to will nothingness, than not will at all. . .” It is in this conclusion that we find the importance of this thesis. The genealogy of morality ends up finding ‘the will to nothingness’, or ‘nihilism’, the conclusion that there is no meaning to be found in the universe. Yet, the genealogy offers no real salvation to overcoming this will to nothingness. It is through the metamorphosis that we can find this overcoming of the great danger to mankind, its most sublime temptation and seduction. It is through the metamorphosis that we can combat standstill, mankind looking back wearily, turning its will against life, and the onset of the final sickness becoming gently, sadly manifest. By reading the genealogy of morality through the metamorphosis of Zarathustra I will be able to go beyond Nietzsche’s teachings and show that the not-taking-serious, which I view as the most important aspect of the child, combats nihilism. To do this we first have to understand the three metamorphoses. In the second part, I will explain the genealogy of morality through the metamorphosis. In the last part, I will argue how the child is able to overcome the nihilism in the genealogy of morality.Show less
