Nietzsche’s Concept of ‘Amor fati’ and How It Can Transform Our Perception of Life BY NAZ KARADEDE
“I want to learn more and more to see
Context and background on Nietzsche’s concept of ‘amor fati’
as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who makes things beautiful. Amor fati: let that be my love henceforth!” – Friedrich Nietzsche
Nietzsche’s concept of ‘amor fati’ was largely inspired and devised in response to the pessimistic philosophy of the German idealist and philosopher Arthur Schopenhaur. German idealism was a school of thought that emerged in philosophy at the end of the 18th Century in response to the materialism, rationalism, and anti-metaphysical worldview of the Enlightenment. According to Schopenhauer, the universe and everything in it is driven by a single, monist principle – a will to live. This will to live manifests itself in living beings as a desire for self-perseverance and selfsubsistence.
Pain, suffering, loss — we are all destined to experience hardship and struggle to a certain degree in our lives. The complexity of our relationships with others, the unpredictability of human life, and the fickleness of human nature all make suffering and pain inevitable; an unavoidable part of what it means to be human and what it means to be alive. However, centuries of technological advancement and scientific progress have made life easier and more efficient, reducing some of the greatest sources of pain and suffering — such as illness and extreme poverty. Despite this, studies have shown that humans, as a whole, are not happier than they were a few centuries ago. But what is the cause of this continuation of pain and suffering? And how can we change our mind-set to alleviate it? Nietzsche’s timeless philosophy of ‘amor fati’ can help provide us with valuable answers to these enduring questions.
Since the will ultimately has no end goal or purpose, its complete satisfaction is impossible. The attainment of a desire does provide satisfaction, whereas the frustration of its attainment results in suffering. However, for Schopenhauer, this satisfaction is fleeting and temporary, given that it is readily replaced by another desire, which results in suffering again until that desire is attained. This recurring cycle of desiring, attaining, and then desiring
17
