“In every real man, a child is hidden that wants to play.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
I absolutely love this quote by Nietzsche. I’m sure many a person would use this quote as proof to their spouse or significant other that video games are necessary in life. Albeit true… I feel a deeper meaning exists.
This is paraphrased from the work of Joseph Campbell as I never read anyone who described this better:
Nietzsche says there are three stages to the spirit.
First is that of the camel: The camel gets down on his knees and says, “Put a load on me”. This is the condition of youth and learning. When the camel is well loaded, he gets to his feet and runs out into the desert. This is the place where he’s going to be alone to find himself and he’s transformed into a lion.
The Lion: The function and deed of the lion is to kill a dragon, and that dragon’s name is ‘Thou shalt’. On every scale of the dragon, a law is written, some dating from 2000 B.C., others from yesterday’s paper. When the dragon is killed, the lion is transformed into a child. In Nietzsche’s words, “a wheel rolling out of its own center”.
The Child: The child can emerge when the camel is well loaded, the lion is potent and the dragon is killed. What the child represents in this mystical language is the human being who has recovered that spontaneity, innocence and thoughtlessness of rules, which is so marvelous in childhood. The little one who comes up and says absolutely embarrassing things to the stranger who’s visiting your house – the child who has the courage to live its impulses.
We all have this potentiality inside of us. This is where Nietzsche says: “In every real man, a child is hidden that wants to play.” He’s referring to this potential for us to go into the desert and transform ourselves and kill the dragon named: Thou shalt! Overcome the barriers imposed upon us, find our true selves, and embrace the childlike wonder inside of us. It’s a great way to truly live. A great perspective for appreciating the wonders and magic of the world.
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ~ Einstein.
The choice is yours.
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