Episode #159 - The Creation of Meaning - Nietzsche - Amor Fati
The Creation of Meaning - Nietzsche - Amor Fati
In this episode of the series on the creation of meaning, the focus turns to Nietzsche’s rejection of fixed moral systems and his embrace of personal responsibility in value formation. Rather than offering a rigid framework, Nietzsche presents tools and perspectives—like amor fati, the love of one’s fate—to help individuals affirm life in its entirety, including suffering and desire, as necessary parts of existence. He critiques the traditional attitude of negation—common in both religion and rational pessimism—that sees desire and suffering as flaws to be overcome through guilt or denial. Instead, he proposes a psychological shift toward affirmation, where meaning is built through engaging with life as it is, rather than waging war against it. The episode also explores Nietzsche’s commitment to moral pluralism over monism, arguing that values like truth and art serve best when held in tension, not hierarchy. Ultimately, Nietzsche encourages listeners to view resistance—whether internal or external—not as an obstacle, but as the very condition that makes growth and meaning possible.
Further Reading:
Nietzsche on Morality by Brian Leiter (2015)
Amor Fati: Eternal Procession in Emerson and Nietzsche by Caroline Kelley (2021)
Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche (1886)
See the full transcript here.
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