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For those into Nietzsche, it’s worth reading The Ego and its Own by Max Stirner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ego_and_Its_Own https://en.wikipedia.org/wik

For those into Nietzsche, it’s worth reading The Ego and its Own by Max Stirner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ego_and_Its_Own https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ego_and_Its_Own

baron_harkonnen 8y ago
I just wanted to second this. It's astounding that there continues to be a large dispute over the influence of Stirner on Nietzsche. I personally like Nietzsche's ideas but really don't enjoy his style of writing. Stirner on the other hand touches on many of the same ideas that Nietzsche would later, but is both an easier and genuinely hilarious read. The Ego and its Own is an absolutely brilliant book, that should have at least the level of popularity that some of Nietzsche's works have.
- alexpetralia 8y ago
  I'm excited to read this - I similarly found Nietzsche somewhat excessively cryptic. Thanks for the recommendation.
totemandtoken 8y ago
Interesting recommendation. Looking forward to checking this out. I usually hear Schopenhauer or Zapffe as a similar recommendation.
- baron_harkonnen 8y ago
  You can read everything of Zapffe's that's ever been translated into English tonight[1]! If you want more pure pessimism you shouldn't leave out Ligotti's "Conspiracy Against the Human Race", which also cover's Zapffe a bit. Ligotti is not a traditional philosopher but he makes some great observations about the relative rarity of true pessimism in Western philosophy. It's worth noting that Nietzsche's real work was to find a solution to the inevitable pessimism and nihilism that he feared would inevitably threaten Western culture. Schopenhauer and Zapffe go straight off into pessimistic view of human existence (Schopenhauer deriving some humanistic "we're all in this together" ethics at moments and Zapffe saying we should stop breeding and let the flame burn out). Nietzsche still ultimately rejects nihilism. [1] https://philosophynow.org/issues/45/The_Last_Messiah https://philosophynow.org/issues/45/The_Last_Messiah
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]

For those into Nietzsche, it’s worth reading The Ego and its Own by Max Stirner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ego_and_Its_Own https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ego_and_Its_Own

baron_harkonnen 8y ago

I just wanted to second this. It's astounding that there continues to be a large dispute over the influence of Stirner on Nietzsche. I personally like Nietzsche's ideas but really don't enjoy his style of writing. Stirner on the other hand touches on many of the same ideas that Nietzsche would later, but is both an easier and genuinely hilarious read. The Ego and its Own is an absolutely brilliant book, that should have at least the level of popularity that some of Nietzsche's works have.

alexpetralia 8y ago
I'm excited to read this - I similarly found Nietzsche somewhat excessively cryptic. Thanks for the recommendation.

totemandtoken 8y ago

Interesting recommendation. Looking forward to checking this out. I usually hear Schopenhauer or Zapffe as a similar recommendation.

baron_harkonnen 8y ago
You can read everything of Zapffe's that's ever been translated into English tonight[1]! If you want more pure pessimism you shouldn't leave out Ligotti's "Conspiracy Against the Human Race", which also cover's Zapffe a bit. Ligotti is not a traditional philosopher but he makes some great observations about the relative rarity of true pessimism in Western philosophy. It's worth noting that Nietzsche's real work was to find a solution to the inevitable pessimism and nihilism that he feared would inevitably threaten Western culture. Schopenhauer and Zapffe go straight off into pessimistic view of human existence (Schopenhauer deriving some humanistic "we're all in this together" ethics at moments and Zapffe saying we should stop breeding and let the flame burn out). Nietzsche still ultimately rejects nihilism. [1] https://philosophynow.org/issues/45/The_Last_Messiah https://philosophynow.org/issues/45/The_Last_Messiah
deleted 8y ago
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