Nietzsche's Greatest Weight and Amor Fati

Nietzsche’s Greatest Weight and Amor Fati

Recently I contemplated Nietzsche's "Greatest Weight" theory which is the possibility of eternal recurrence (the possibility of people living the same life over and over again) along with his "Amor Fati". These were my thoughts:

What is Nietzsche trying to convey to us in the Greatest Weight? I think he is trying to get us to examine our lives. Like Socrates he is trying to encourage us to lead a good and pious life. To ask ourselves in everything, would I want to re-live this moment over and over again? Would I want to do this particular thing over and over again? Would I want to feel this over and over again? That definitely demands an examination of one's decisions. That is an excellent thought process to apply to life as an adult and an excellent question to ask ourselves for all future events.

The Greatest Weight is problematic (at least for me) in the sense that by the time people are able to consider this profound thought and apply it, a great deal has already happened to them that was out of their control. As a small child you do not have any control or influence over what happens to you. Many people have had things happen to them as a child which I am sure they wish never happened. But what can one do as a child? So in this aspect the question of the greatest weight seems unfair to me. If eternal recurrence does happen then we are forced to accept it even though we wish we didn't have to accept it and it seems unfair.

I also find it odd that he says what if a "demon" appeared to you and asked you this question in your loneliest loneliness? Is he saying that when you are at your lowest point all that would come to you are demons? I believe angels come to us in our loneliest moments or some other helpful Spirit. If memory serves, I believe Jesus Christ promised that the Helper always comes. Or is Nietzsche trying to remind us of the temptation of Jesus Christ when the devil went to him and told him to jump? Maybe the fact that Nietzsche says it is a demon should be our hint to not trust him or believe whatever ideas enter our mind in our loneliest moments. Or is Nietzsche trying to suggest the possibility of re-incarnation? Or is he trying to warn us about making decisions when we are emotionally unbalanced? Much to ponder here.

Nietzsche’s Greatest Weight could also be interpreted as a wakeup call. Most of us, myself included think when one moment has passed that it is gone forever except in our memory. You never really consider it may happen again. Once you consider the possibility of going through the same life over and over again one might be inclined to  weigh their decisions with this eternal weight. One would try to make each minute, hour and day count. One would try to live the best life possible, which is what we should be doing any way, but some do not. But then this begs the question, what is living the best life mean? Isn't it something different for everyone? What about those who for a myriad of reasons are unable to change their circumstances? What about the people who truly don't know a better way? What about the promise of eternal salvation and God's forgiveness? I suppose he is trying to make every one contemplate their existence. I guess everyone on some level can make a conscious effort towards some improvement no matter how little, even if it is simply your attitude and your acceptance of what fate has handed you. Amor Fati is inextricably linked to Nietzsche's Greatest Weight.

Amor Fati's literal translation means to love fate or love of fate. To love the life you have been given. But I think it means more than that. It is a surrender of our existence. It is an unconditional love of your fate that accepts the good and the bad. And it is an acknowledgment of a force greater than us that governs us. It is easy to love one's life when everything is great, not so easy to love a life filled with hardships, sadness and injustice. But to still unconditionally love your life (and all life) is to know that every life is playing a note in the musical masterpiece that is Life. It is to realize that every life is in service to the greater good. I think he is saying to accept and embrace life no matter what. But this is problematic also because not everyone could do that. I accept, embrace and love my life unconditionally. Sure some things happened that I wish did not. But I have accepted them. I am whom I am today because of everything that has happened in my life. Every word, every thought, every situation, every illness, every windfall, every downfall, every denial, acceptance, every joy, every pain, every smile and every tear have all brought me here; to this point in my life. I accept it all and I am so grateful for it all. My future is not known to me yet, but I trust God absolutely with my fate. Maybe Nietzsche is trying to get us all to trust God absolutely like an innocent child trusts.

Thank you Daniel C., if not for you I might not have thought to read these particular passages in Nietzsche. I am grateful :)