When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you [Nietzsche #QuoteNotes5]

Here is the quote I would like to introduce this time!

*By the way, 'shin-en' is read as 'abyss'.

My first impression when I learned this quote was something like this.

It sounds really cool and seems to have a very deep meaning... but what is it actually trying to say?

If you think about it simply, it can be called a warning to 'be careful not to end up accepting the obstacles you should be overcoming.' To put it more simply, it might be easiest to think of it as a super cool version of saying, 'Be careful not to become the mummy you are trying to catch.'

The person who left this quote

Friedrich Nietzsche

What kind of person was he?

Friedrich Nietzsche (Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, October 15, 1844 – August 25, 1900) was a philosopher, philologist, and poet representing 19th-century Germany. Known for the phrase 'God is dead,' he criticized traditional Western philosophy and Christian morality, and developed his own unique philosophy.

Nietzsche's Life

Upbringing and Education

He was born in a small village in the Kingdom of Prussia (present-day Germany) as the son of a Lutheran pastor. He lost his father at a young age and lived with his mother, grandmother, and two aunts. He entered the University of Bonn to study theology, but developed a strong interest in classical philology and transferred to the University of Leipzig.

As a Scholar

At the young age of 24, he was appointed as a professor of classical philology at the University of Basel in Switzerland. He deepened his friendship with Wagner and Schopenhauer, and was influenced by them in his early works.

As a Thinker

Gradually, he began to harbor doubts about existing scholarship and thought, and began to explore his own philosophy. While struggling with health issues, he devoted himself to his writing.

Later years: In 1889, he fell into a state of mental derangement and lived under the care of his sister, Elisabeth, thereafter. He passed away in Weimar in 1900.

Nietzsche's Philosophy

Nietzsche's philosophy covers a wide range of topics, but the following are some of his major concepts.

God is dead (Gott ist tot)

This is a phrase suggesting that Christian values and worldviews are losing their power in modern society. It signifies a situation where the foundations of traditional morality and metaphysics have collapsed, necessitating the creation of new values.

Nihilism (Nihilismus)

This refers to a state where existing values and meanings become worthless. Nietzsche aimed to overcome this nihilism and create new values.

Will to Power (Der Wille zur Macht)

This is the fundamental impulse at the essence of all life, encompassing not just self-preservation, but also the desire for growth, overcoming, and dominance.

Overman (Übermensch)

The ideal human figure proposed by Nietzsche. It refers to a strong individual who transcends traditional morality and values, creates new values through their own will, and lives affirmatively.

Eternal Recurrence (Die ewige Wiederkehr des Gleichen)

The idea that the same events are repeated eternally. Through this thought, he preached the importance of affirming this very moment and living it to the fullest.

Ressentiment (Ressentiment)

The feelings of resentment and envy that the weak harbor toward the strong. Nietzsche criticized Christian morality as a slave morality born from this ressentiment.

Summary

In this post, I introduced the following quote!

When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you

The maxim 'When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you' appeared in section 146 of Nietzsche's work 'Beyond Good and Evil'.

It is a book that discusses the realm beyond (i.e., beyond good and evil) after criticizing how philosophy and religion at the time blindly accepted morality, that is, the values of good and evil.

• While trying to warn a bully, you end up participating in the bullying

• A journalist trying to expose a fraudulent business ends up participating in the fraudulent business themselves

• Trying to rehabilitate a family member with a gambling addiction, you end up getting addicted to gambling yourself

If you were to suddenly blurt out the quote I introduced this time when witnessing such a disastrous situation where the cart is put before the horse... well, it would probably be annoying, wouldn't it? Haha.

To be honest, even if you know it, I don't think there are many opportunities to use the quote 'When you gaze into the abyss...' in everyday conversation. It might be acceptable to use it as a kind of joke or irony, assuming both parties are familiar with the quote.

In the first place, this quote is, how should I put it... just too cool, isn't it? Haha.

In reality, it is widely quoted in manga, games, and anime. Actually, the way I first learned about this quote was through the 'manga version of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'.

'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' is a well-known animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, but it is not widely known that 'When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you' appears in the manga version. It was spoken by Selm of the Forest People when he saw Nausicaä drifting between light and darkness in volume 6. 'Abyss' is paraphrased as 'darkness'.

The manga version of 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' is a masterpiece among masterpieces. The film 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' covers only about the first two volumes out of the seven volumes of the manga. In other words, most of the story of the manga version is not depicted in the film.
The manga version delves much deeper into the themes compared to the film version.
For example, in the final volume, this line comes out from Nausicaä.

If you are interested, please check this out as well.

📢 Announcement

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