RE: The Philosopher as Clown & the Clown as Philosopher: Nietzsche & Oscar Wilde
Wonderful thesis development.
I am struck with the expression ... on any given day. And how one's philosophy if not lived and adopted into practice is but an opinion. Most people do not act in accordance with their opinions but expect others to do so. My understanding from both writer's history is that they fell hard into suffering later into life and became ... if this makes sense ... victims of their own opinions. The snafu of a philosopher that can lead to hyper judgement. But then perhaps, it just the way history reports things.
If I had to choose ... I would choose Wilde. In many ways, he was a victim of his time and expectations on masculinity and he was ever so witty. I just would have loved to have sat with him. Nietzsche had that horrible 'uber man' philosophy and I cannot help but associate this with him more than anything else.
Wilde seemed to be onto the very opposite take with this quote ...
When a man acts, he is a puppet. When he describes, he is a poet
I like that very much:)
So much more to say about those 2, I hardly know where to begin. But, you are right to suggest that it ended badly for both, as they became "victims of their own opinions."
Wilde, of course, could be a lot of fun, which is why Churchill (another wit) admired him. Then, again, Wilde had a strong self-destructive streak, and his philosophy, devolved into a coarse praise of hedonism, cruelty, wickedness.
There's nothing "horrible" about the Uberman. Properly understood, it was a spiritual term, and referred to transcendence ('Man is something that must be overcome') . But the way it was distorted by his sister, who sold it to Hitler, while Nietzsche was insane and in her care, that is horrible.
There is far more I could say about those difficult two contrarians, the heroes of my youth, that I chose to leave out, so as not to dampen the fun. But, suffice to say, I don't turn to them, now.
Thanks, for hearing me out, Pryde, and sweet dreams
_/|\_That is very interesting to consider uberman to be a spiritual term. I may have to do more research. Have a good night:)