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Nietzsche in Turin

newstatesman.com

11–20 of 36 posts

Re: Nietzsche in Turin

#11
post #9
post #3

A disgusting and mean spirited account of Nietzsche's life. Not worth reading.

" Please don't post shallow dismissals, especially of other people's work. A good critical comment teaches us something. " https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html If you want to give us something more substantive about Nietzsche, I'm all in favor - but please don't just post dyspeptic dismissals. Even if the article is as bad as you say, if that is all you have to say, it only degrades the forum. Better to r…

I might try. The article is indeed well written, but seems to confuse Nietzsche's biography with Nietzsche's ideas. In literature and philosophy it's good to know biography to better understand where thoughts might have come from, but thoughts must be taken by themselves ultimately. That seems to be the error of the people who wrote Nietzsche's biographies too. Countering arguments with personal life isn't worth much.

Re: Nietzsche in Turin

#12
AFAIK it is unclear whether the Turin horse scene actually happened.

The description is actually suspiciously similar to a scene in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, which Nietzsche had read.

The Turin horse episode, on the other hand, apparently (and I don’t remember where I read this) goes back to an account first published by the contemporary writer Alain de Botton. And all there seems to be in terms of evidence is a story written by an unnamed journalist in 1901, almost a decade after the event supposedly had taken place.

Re: Nietzsche in Turin

#13
post #3

A disgusting and mean spirited account of Nietzsche's life. Not worth reading.

I can see (or rather guess) why you’re saying this.

1. The author buys the story that Nietzsche contracted syphilis in a brothel. No evidence exists for this claim. Syphilis isn’t even consistent with the symptoms Nietzsche was experiencing. The claim was first brought forth in a book 30+ years after Nietzsche’s death, and at a time where his philosophy have been instrumentalized by the Nazis.

2. This quote, which is itself dismissive (and, I may claim, very wrong):

> If you want solutions to the disorder of our time, you will gain little from reading Nietzsche.

That indeed seems to apply much more to this article.

Re: Nietzsche in Turin

#14

I just moved to Turin and I just want to say that is an absolutely beautiful city. Is you ever are in Italy, it might not be part of any “top 10 places to see in Italy” posts, but it’s worth. Amazing food (Piedmontese food + Savoie food from the neighboring France region), beautiful mountains, amazing people (Politecnico of Torino is huge), and great wine as well (Barolo, timorasso).

Turin indeed is worth a visit.

Re: Nietzsche in Turin

#15
post #4

The great philosophical film The Turin Horse by Bela Tarr starts with the account of Nietzsche's mental breakdown in Turin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turin_Horse

I watched this my friend, we just sat in silence for hours, we both burst into laughter when it ended, "uhhhhh", very memorable. I do and don't recommend it to others.

Re: Nietzsche in Turin

#16

I just moved to Turin and I just want to say that is an absolutely beautiful city. Is you ever are in Italy, it might not be part of any “top 10 places to see in Italy” posts, but it’s worth. Amazing food (Piedmontese food + Savoie food from the neighboring France region), beautiful mountains, amazing people (Politecnico of Torino is huge), and great wine as well (Barolo, timorasso).

Hey, I just moved to Turin too! I agree it's a beautiful city and has a great food scene. Italian bureaucracy as an expat though is something else...

Re: Nietzsche in Turin

#17
post #9
post #3

A disgusting and mean spirited account of Nietzsche's life. Not worth reading.

" Please don't post shallow dismissals, especially of other people's work. A good critical comment teaches us something. " https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html If you want to give us something more substantive about Nietzsche, I'm all in favor - but please don't just post dyspeptic dismissals. Even if the article is as bad as you say, if that is all you have to say, it only degrades the forum. Better to r…

> p.s. I think John Gray

Are you into Humanities, dang? What is your target about John Gray? Maybe Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals?

I did not know LSE's John Gray was so "famous" - I would have thought the homonymous proponent of the "Mars and Venus" ideas could came to mind earlier!

Re: Nietzsche in Turin

#18

I just moved to Turin and I just want to say that is an absolutely beautiful city. Is you ever are in Italy, it might not be part of any “top 10 places to see in Italy” posts, but it’s worth. Amazing food (Piedmontese food + Savoie food from the neighboring France region), beautiful mountains, amazing people (Politecnico of Torino is huge), and great wine as well (Barolo, timorasso).

Turin indeed is worth a visit.

The marvels of the place are not in "if it's Tuesday this must be Belgium" stumble-upon sights. It is more about things you will find after luck or investigation.

Re: Nietzsche in Turin

#20
post #13
post #3

A disgusting and mean spirited account of Nietzsche's life. Not worth reading.

I can see (or rather guess) why you’re saying this. 1. The author buys the story that Nietzsche contracted syphilis in a brothel. No evidence exists for this claim. Syphilis isn’t even consistent with the symptoms Nietzsche was experiencing. The claim was first brought forth in a book 30+ years after Nietzsche’s death, and at a time where his philosophy have been instrumentalized by the Nazis. 2. This quote, which is…

You have guessed correctly. I'm sorry if I did not take the time initially to expand.

I would also add this whole spicy philosophical gossip about Nietzsche being hopelessly lovestruck by this person Salome is not supported by strong evidence. All accounts of it has been exaggerated and, as it is often with historical figures, repeated long enough that people believe it to be canonical [1].

The Salome myth, is often used, as it was in this article, to cast aspersions against his character and by extension his philosophy.

Most of the article it is just a big list of unsubstantiated ad-hominem attacks against him. The author claims insight into Nietzsche's most private moments and thoughts without evidence to support those claims.

1- https://paradoxoftheday.com/friedrich-nietzsche-and-lou-von-...

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