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January 31, 2024 • 1hr 25min
The Prodigal Sons - Nietzsche and Dostoevsky (Novitate Conference, Nov 2023)
The Martyr Made Podcast
This talk explores the lives and works of Friedrich Nietzsche and Fyodor Dostoevsky, viewed through the lens of René Girard's mimetic theory. Despite never meeting, the two authors grappled with many of the same philosophical questions about morality, religion, and human nature. Their divergent paths - with Dostoevsky finding redemption through faith and Nietzsche descending into madness - offer contrasting responses to the challenges of modernity and radical individualism.
The Prodigal Sons - Nietzsche and Dostoevsky (Novitate Conference, Nov 2023)
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Key Takeaways
- Friedrich Nietzsche and Fyodor Dostoevsky had remarkably similar life experiences and grappled with many of the same philosophical questions, despite never meeting or reading each other's work during their lifetimes.
- Both men rebelled against their conservative, religious upbringings and went through periods of exile and obscurity in their 30s before emerging as influential writers.
- Dostoevsky found redemption through embracing Christianity and Russian culture after his exile, while Nietzsche descended into madness as he rejected religion and traditional values.
- Nietzsche's philosophy promoted the idea of the Übermensch (superman) who creates his own values, while Dostoevsky explored the dark consequences of such radical individualism in his novels.
- The speaker argues that Nietzsche's writings were in part motivated by resentment over his personal failures and inability to live up to his own ideals of strength and power.
- Dostoevsky's later works like Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov show a mature understanding of human nature and the importance of faith and community.
- The parable of the Prodigal Son encapsulates Dostoevsky's journey and message of transgression, repentance and forgiveness.
Introduction
This talk explores the lives and works of Friedrich Nietzsche and Fyodor Dostoevsky, viewed through the lens of René Girard's mimetic theory. Despite never meeting, the two authors grappled with many of the same philosophical questions about morality, religion, and human nature. Their divergent paths - with Dostoevsky finding redemption through faith and Nietzsche descending into madness - offer contrasting responses to the challenges of modernity and radical individualism.
Topics Discussed
Biographical Parallels Between Nietzsche and Dostoevsky (4:36)
The speaker outlines the remarkable similarities in Nietzsche and Dostoevsky's early lives:
- Both were sensitive children of stern, conservative fathers
- Both lost their fathers traumatically at a young age
- Both had brief negative experiences in the military in their early 20s
- At age 24, both were recognized for their talents and elevated into elite company
- Both went through a decade of unproductive obscurity in their 30s before emerging as influential writers
However, in their late 30s, their paths diverged dramatically - "one to redemption and the other to destruction."
Nietzsche's Discovery of Dostoevsky (6:36)
In 1887, Nietzsche discovered Dostoevsky's work for the first time:
- He found a French translation titled "L'esprit souterrain" (The Underground Spirit) containing Notes from Underground and The Landlady
- The book's themes and protagonist resonated deeply with Nietzsche
- He saw many parallels to his own life and ideas in Dostoevsky's writing
- Nietzsche called Dostoevsky "the only psychologist from whom I had something to learn"
Nietzsche's Relationship with Richard Wagner (16:37)
The speaker discusses Nietzsche's complex relationship with composer Richard Wagner:
- Nietzsche was initially enthralled by Wagner's charisma and cultural influence
- He fell in love with Wagner's wife Cosima, creating a painful love triangle
- Nietzsche eventually broke with Wagner, but continued to be obsessed with him
- Many of Nietzsche's later works contain veiled criticisms of Wagner
Dostoevsky's Early Works and Exile (32:39)
The speaker analyzes Dostoevsky's early novels like Poor Folk and White Nights:
- They often feature weak, indecisive protagonists who lose in love triangles
- The protagonists' weakness is framed as noble self-sacrifice
- This reflects Dostoevsky's own self-deceptions at the time
Dostoevsky's arrest and exile to Siberia marked a turning point:
- He spent 4 years in a brutal Siberian prison camp
- He was then conscripted into the army for 6 more years
- This decade of suffering and reflection transformed his worldview
Dostoevsky's Mature Works (40:40)
After his exile, Dostoevsky's writing showed greater psychological insight:
- Notes from Underground was his first masterpiece, laying bare the psychology of resentment
- Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov explored the consequences of radical individualism
- His later works affirmed the importance of faith, community and redemption
Nietzsche's Philosophical Development (50:41)
The speaker traces Nietzsche's evolving ideas:
- He initially rebelled against his religious upbringing
- He was influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution
- He developed the concept of the Übermensch (superman) who creates his own values
- He rejected traditional morality as "slave morality" born of resentment
- He proclaimed "God is dead" and that humans must become gods themselves
Nietzsche's Personal Struggles (1:00:43)
The speaker argues that Nietzsche's philosophy was shaped by his personal failures:
- He was unsuccessful in love, being rejected by the three women he pursued
- He suffered from chronic health problems that left him in constant pain
- His books were largely ignored during his lifetime
- He was dominated by his mother and sister
These experiences fueled resentment that Nietzsche projected onto others: "What you hate in yourself, you hate when you see in other people."
Nietzsche's Descent into Madness (1:14:45)
In his final years, Nietzsche's behavior became increasingly erratic:
- He made grandiose claims about himself
- He approached strangers to ask what they thought of his "creation"
- In January 1889, he had a mental breakdown after trying to protect a horse from being whipped
- He spent the last 11 years of his life in an insane asylum
Dostoevsky's Final Years and Legacy (1:14:45)
In contrast to Nietzsche, Dostoevsky found peace and recognition late in life:
- He overcame his gambling addiction
- He had a happy marriage and became a devoted father
- He was celebrated as a great Russian author
- He reaffirmed his Orthodox Christian faith
- His funeral was one of the largest in Russian history
The Parable of the Prodigal Son (1:16:45)
The speaker recounts how Dostoevsky had the parable of the Prodigal Son read to his children on his deathbed:
- This parable encapsulates Dostoevsky's own journey of rebellion, suffering and redemption
- It emphasizes the themes of transgression, repentance and forgiveness
- It shows Dostoevsky's ultimate understanding of the meaning of his life and work
Conclusion
The speaker concludes by contrasting Nietzsche and Dostoevsky's responses to suffering and disillusionment:
- Dostoevsky found redemption by returning to faith and traditional values
- Nietzsche continued to reject religion and morality, leading to his mental breakdown
- Both achieved a form of greatness - Dostoevsky through his insights into human nature, Nietzsche through his willingness to follow his ideas to their ultimate conclusion
The talk ends with a reflection on human limitations and the dangers of radical individualism: "All humans break. That's what it means to be human. The difference between humans and gods is that gods can break humans."