The spectators often behaved like actors

October of Zarathustra

Joy in the herd is older than joy in the “I”: and as long as the good conscience is identified with the herd, only the bad conscience says “I”. —Zarathustra

Since the last day of kindergarten, I have had the same best friend, G. G and I met in an almost cosmic way. I had pictured him in my head before I saw him for the first time, based on a description made by the girl next door. So, I recognized him when I met him and asked him if he was G. He was.

That was the last day of kindergarten. Seriously. We've been friends ever since. Now we are almost 50.

All along, G and I have had a third member of our circle, though that third has shifted over the years.

First it was C, then it was R, but R disappeared (still wonder where he went). Then it was B, but B was difficult and he went a bit crazy after a while and stopped talking to us. So then we found J. But J kept getting girlfriends. We also knew S, but he spent all his time with his girlfriend. But then S broke it off, so we subbed in S for J, sort of. Actually, sometimes it was S and J. And that was nice. But then S got married. Then S got divorced, so he was back. But then S got married again, and that one stuck, and we never saw him again. Seriously. Never. J got married, too, and drifted off from us. That marriage fell apart, but he had a kid anyway. Then he got married again. For quite a while it was just G and me, but that didn't matter so much because I was gone off out in the world. But it was always easy for G and me to hang when I came back, and we always did. Then J's second marriage fell apart, and after a while J was back. J has been back ever since.

So really, it has mostly been J.

But childhood looms large across our whole lives, doesn't it? So C, R, B and S all still feel really important. But it will probably be me, G and J until one of us dies. Then it will be the two that remain. It's nice to know you can count on that.

Which brings me to Zarathustra this morning, because this whole set of his speeches, written by Nietzsche, really seems to be about how lonely the actual man was. He was celibate. He had bad health. He was estranged from his family. He was strange. Much of his philosophy seems to be derived from an insistence on loving life, even if his life left much wanting.

And this is a fair thing to point out, since Nietzsche himself said that if you want to understand the philosophy, you have to know about the philosopher.

So, in thinking about his loneliness, I think about how my life has been pretty lonely, too, but I've always had this triad. And I'm lucky for that. Lots of guys don't have anything like that.

There's a chapter in this set, "On the Friend," where Zarathustra talks about a triad, too: The I, me and the friend. My simplistic take on this is that much of the hermit's insight is derived from talking to himself, effectively. I is the person in himself. Me is the person regarding himself.

But the hermit needs a friend, because that little bubble can end up recursive, can it not? He needs an unrelated brain in the mix, to bounce his thoughts off of. Also it's nice not to be alone quite all the time.

My triad is not a metaphor. It's just actually three people, but I couldn't help but think about it as I read Zarathustra this morning. Looking back over the string of our third members, G brought B, J and S into the fold. I don't remember how C and R came along. That was just too long ago. We were babies. G might have brought them in, too? It's lost to time.

I can be a lot to deal with. I suspect we've always had a third because G has needed a buffer. That's okay. It's been nice to have a crew. Three is a good number. Four would have been great, though. We're all still bummed about the way S disappeared.

But some guys don't want anything but a wife.

Note: I am reading and writing about Clancy Martin's translation of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, but I'm linking to what's on Project Gutenberg. They are not the same. For example, the titles often differ, but I use Martin's titles. I just link to Gutenberg because it's nice that it's there. Apologies if this is confusing. Translation, man!

XIII. On Chastity

Zarathustra and Nietzsche seem quite conflicted in this chapter, but I think if you asked Nietzsche directly what the point was, he would say chastity can become its own vice, a vice of the small-minded.

But Zarathustra also says that it is better to fall into the hands of a murderer than into the dreams of a lustful woman. So he's conflicted. Also, by the way, having done the latter and done my best to avoid the former? Hard disagree.

XIV. On the Friend

You need a friend.

XV. On the Thousand and One Goals

Being creative is the root of good and of evil, but either way actually being creative comes of the person breaking from the herd.

XVI. On Love of the Neighbor

Conformity is a strong force.

XVII. On the Way of the Creator

Actually being creative is no easy road, but if that road calls to you? Walk into the suffering.

One line

The worst enemy you can meet will always be yourself; you lie in wait for yourself in caverns and forests. —Zarathustra

—Brady Dale
October 5, 2026

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