Om Namah Shivaya

Om Namah Shivaya

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Jan 10, 2012

WOMEN ! - Nietzsche's thoughts on women are quite dogmatic, in my opinion...

THE READER: Thoughts on Women by Nietzsche

“The man’s happiness is: I will. The woman’s happiness is: He will” says Nietzsche in his book Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Well I have liked almost everything the profound philosopher, writer and poet Nietzsche has said in his books about various things like ‘will to power’, higher man, individualism, personality development, religion, etc. But somehow his thoughts on WOMEN have left me wondering, is that really how he thought of women? 
I tried to rationalize (because his thoughts on other things are quite powerful and deep) by thinking probably that was how in the 18th-19th century women were thought of. But still, I cannot believe what he has said about women are his true thoughts... or we have lost something in translations. But then the translations by R J Hollingdale are quite true to the author in other cases.
Any how, I don’t agree with all this, but then wanted to know what others think about these thoughts of Nietzsche on...
WOMEN
The Kiss - By Klimt c 1907

If you admit to a woman that she is in the right, she cannot refrain from setting her heel triumphantly on the neck of the defeated – she has to enjoy the victory to the full; while between men in such a case being in the right usually produces a feeling of embarrassment.
– From Assorted Opinions and Maxims 209 (Published in 1879 as first supplement to ‘Human – All Too Human’; 2nd Edition published in 1886

Would a woman be able to hold us (or as they say ‘captivate’ us) if we did not believe that under certain circumstances she could use the dagger (any kind of dagger) against us? Or against herself: which in a certain case would be more painful revenge (Chinese Revenge)
– From Gay Science 69 Published in 1882 and 1887

Everything about Woman is a riddle, and everything about woman has one solution: it’s called pregnancy.

For the woman, the man is a means: the end is always the child.

The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything.

Let man fear woman when she loves. Then she bears every sacrifice and every other thing she accounts valueless.

Let man fear woman when she hates: for man is at the bottom of his soul only wicked, but woman is base.

Whom does woman hate most? – Thus spoke the iron to the magnet: ‘I hate you most, because you attract me but are not strong enough to draw me towards you.’

“The man’s happiness is: I will. The woman’s happiness is: He will”
- From Thus Spoke Zarathustra Part I: Of old and young
___________________________
Translation by R. J. Hollingdale

So there you are... what do you think...? Or do you think I am wrong in assuming his thoughts are puritanical and dogmatic?

______
Shashi
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya

To know more about Nietzsche and his thoughts about 'Higher Men, Will to Power etc,' read my feature on ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’ – an amazing and profound book (A must read). Click here to read...

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Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Nietzsche


19 comments:

  1. well said sir !
    so much of thought provoking words
    TAKES

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  2. It would be a very interesting read to compare notes of Nietzche with Freud (one of his contemporaries) infact it was Freud who stole Nietzche's mistress who herself was one of the most famous seducers of those times. Truly a shadow thai boxing of those times... a mind reader vs a reader aloft.


    VST

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  3. I don't know Nietzsche and his philosophy, but if this is his take on women, I don't like him much.
    I have 'The kiss' in my drawing room, and it represents the tenderness and the strength in a woman.

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  4. You are so right. I like Nietzche's other thoughts and cannot understand how he could say such dumb things too.

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  5. That's amazing...how can anyone be so much correct about women...they are still amongst the unsolved mysteries of the universe... :P

    anyways...I can't believe that I missed Nietzsche and his writings...will surely read it... :)

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  6. Question ( & answer): Why do Enlightenment happen only to unmarried men ( or married men with a vow of celibacy or those who leave the family)?
    'Cos enlightenment happems only if you stop trying to understand Women :-)
    Moral: Enlightenment is easier than figuring out 'what women want' :-)
    BTW I am Single!

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  7. Won't comment, well to be honest because Nietzsche has been quoted. I'm glad to find someone who reads him. Don't expect appreciation though...:D He was never appreciated like all other wise men.

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  8. @ DeEpAK KaRtHiK I am glad that you liked it.

    @ VSTJan Yes it would be ... Never really liked Freud though... :-) But him stealing Nietzsche's mistress is an interesting twist to my thoughts about these words on women by him... it will be a good idea to further explore this...

    @ Subhadra Nietzsche is a great writer and profound thinker, I have lots of admiration for his thoughts... probably never really understood by many and those who did, I think misunderstood him... just like the westerners misunderstanding our vedic culture with stone sculptures at Khujraho, Temples and more to the point Shiva Linga... His thought on the women, to me looks like, as I said, Dogmatic...

    It was a pleasure to see "The Kiss" in Vienna last summer, when I visited Beveldere Museum. An amazing experience... Yesterday I was watching the movie, Good Will Hunting and there Robin Williams tells Will Hunting, "Its one thing to read about the Art / paintings, but quite another to actually see them with your own eyes..

    @ ShailJan Yes... its kind of an aberration.

    @ CY|\|O$|_|RE Well I don't really have much experience with women, so can not be so sure about his thoughts being correct... but may be you have the right reasons to believe it so... still I am sticking with my own view about this being Dogamtic... :-)

    Yes must read Nietzsche, he is an amazing writer... and a profound thinker...

    @ AvalokJan May be you are right... I have one part of your knowing... which is not women... and I am not celibate too... :-)

    @ Manu Katyaayan Nietzsche was well appreciated by multitudes... and some times more then the other wise men... his thoughts on Higher Men, Gods and Will are amazing and precise... though it does not mean I agree with him... on all of the points he says...
    Thanks for the comment though...

    ॐ नमः शिवाय
    Om Namah Shivaya

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  9. I think the time, during which he wrote it, must have dictated some of his thoughts..Men and women nowadays are equally ambitious and as a woman, I can tell you achild is definitely not the end! :D

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  10. Nietzsche never really found a great place among philosophers of his time, the only reason being his philosophies were a bit confusing and at times awkward.He didn't connect to the masses, but the one's who understood him, became his fans forever.
    Your interpretation of him is correct and his thoughts about women come out clear from those quotes, but we have to understand his time and the condition of women at that time.Do we have a woman Alexander or a woman Nepolean? We don't right and I am not talking about exceptions.
    But I feel, today his philosophies are banal on most situations and women from around the world.

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  11. One's view all depends on the experiences that one had during one life time. He might have had bad experiences hence he wrote such.

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  12. The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything ...lol

    this Nietzches must have got lot of criticism from women around the world :P

    regards
    rahul

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  13. I cant deny most of what is written in this blog.. but i would like to add that most of the times what a woman wants is something really simple, like a bit of attention, freedom, a bit of care all in the right proportion just like what a man would need but somehow its always complicated to others. I dont get it why? or am i looking at it from a woman's point of view? nevertheless, a good read and one cannot deny these... even though times change some things remain the same.. women still are mysterious to men:)

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  14. Thanks to the Feminist movements and Liberation movements, women today are not much different from men.

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  15. I agree with you... Thanks for sharing...

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  16. Your postings are dancing in your writing.

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  17. I haven't heard about the man, however what ever I read now....I am not too sure if I am impressed with him.

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  18. Nice blog! I like it so much. ●๋•wáńńá bểツ ܔܢܜܔFree bIrd(๏̯͡๏) Best Tamil Short Films 2012

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  19. This is true of some men I know of :)

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