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9. Nietzsche's Will to Power unpacked
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“What is good? All that heightens the feeling of power, the will to power itself. What is happiness? The feeling that power increases—that resistance is overcome.”
Nietzsche’s Will to Power is perhaps his most compelling yet widely misunderstood idea. It’s not simply about dominating others; rather, it’s about our fundamental craving for overcoming challenges and experiencing growth. Power is complicated—we’re both drawn to it and suspicious of it. It excites and unsettles us, often at the same time.
Most online interpretations oversimplify will to power, portraying it only through extremes: ruthless conquerors, greedy capitalists, villains driven by domination. But these are mere fragments of the story. Nietzsche saw will to power not just as a psychological drive but as a foundational principle of life itself, underlying everything from human ambition to the evolutionary drive for survival. Understanding will to power, therefore, isn’t just philosophical curiosity—it’s a crucial step toward taking control of our own lives.
In today’s episode, we’ll start the great unraveling of this profound idea. We’ll take apart its psychological dynamics, unveil its subtle yet irrepressible influence on our goals and motivations, and reveal why our endless pursuit of success often feels like a Sisyphus pushing an ever-growing boulder up and ever steepening hill.
Ready for the climb? Then put your shoulder to the boulder!
Music: Featherweight Kid by Crippling Alcoholism
Music credit - story section: Very popular eastern woodwind instrument called Kaval played by great Serbian musician - Boris Todorovic (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=589884654).
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