Ruminating

October of Zarathustra

Today I got an email from a newsletter list that offered to organize a meetup for people to go to the Met and find love. The theory is, I'm guessing, that if a bunch of bright singles all meet up to look at some beautiful art, they will pair off as they wander around and maybe set up some coffee dates.

And, you know, if nothing else, they had a nice day at the museum. One of the best museums. I feel that.

I would not place a bet on many people having more than a nice day at the museum, however. And, going a step further, I'd bet that the people who do manage to find someone at the event probably do not end up being, by and large, the folks that were ever having any trouble. They might have just been temporarily embarrassed, bedroomwise.

Matchmaking, in the present, seems hopeless. At least for love.

I don't want to go to any kind of matchmaking event. Not for love, at least.

If I could go to a matchmaking event for a nemesis, though, sign me up. I would love to find a nemesis. I had a good nemesis in high school. We both found it very motivating. 

I think in our present world everyone is much too reluctant to seek a nemesis. Who's a better partner than a nemesis? You each have an objective measure to strive against. Am I outperforming this cur, this charlatan, this terrible brigand? No!?! Then I must try harder. I must push more.

This is the battle I want. Not out of spite or vengeance, but to test one's mettle. Steel-on-steel, but without actual steel. Just steely wit! But, hey, if you need some steel to take the deal, I might be persuaded. Let's talk. I'm open to it. I've been doing pushups. 

Zarathustra can't seem to step out of his doorway without someone volunteering to be his nemesis or something much like it. How does he have all the luck?

One enemy is all I want. Just one. We can even say I'm the Lex Luthor and you're the Superman! I won't mind. I bet if we'd asked Lex, he'd say he was the Superman, that the Man of Steel has been the bad guy all along. 

The voluntary beggar

Zarathustra meets a stand-in for guys like Jesus and the Buddha. The voluntary beggar is speaking to cows because the poor and the destitute actually don't want him to hang out with them. 

Zarathustra has his number. Before he even meets him he has heard of him and he knows what his problem is: It's genuinely much harder to give well than it is to take. Lots to think about in that, and I mean that.

The Shadow

Zarathustra meets someone who has been following him around because he doesn't know where he's going. Guess what? Both of these guys are invited back to Zarathustra's cave.

One line

“Mob above, mob below! What are ‘poor’ and ‘rich’ today! I unlearned that distinction — then I fled away further and even further, until I came to these cows.”

• Fun fact: This weekend the streets of Madrid are filled with livestock to mark the annual Transhumance festival. It's a celebration of traditional farming practices in Spain, which require that certain byways and paths be treated as a common good.
• In other words, even here in the modern days, we are still gleaning some wisdom from livestock — just like Zarathustra did with his eagle and his serpent and the voluntary beggar with his cows.

—Brady Dale
October 25, 2026

Next Zarathustra: Even a king may be a cook