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Pre-Christmas Random Thought


This sign I give you: every people speaks its tongue of good and evil, which the neighbor does not understand. It has invented its own language of customs and rights.”
~ Nietzsche, 1892/1966, Thus Spoke Zarathustra (W. Kaufmann, Trans.), p. 49


Isn’t it fascinating how we all speak different languages when it comes to what we consider good and evil? Each person has their own unique set of values and beliefs, shaped by their experiences and background. Nietzsche was on to something when he said that every person speaks their own “tongue” of virtue and vice—clearly, he knew we’d be forever tangled in the mess of miscommunication.

Picture this: you’re at a party, and someone hands you a drink. For you, it’s a sweet gesture of friendship. But for someone else, it’s like they’ve just handed you a live grenade. How did we get from “cheers” to “run for cover”? Because our moral languages are as different as ordering a coffee in Paris versus trying to decipher a secret menu at a diner.

We’re all trying to share our inner world with each other, like translating Shakespeare into emojis. Sometimes it works; sometimes, you end up with a “thumbs up” instead of “I love you.” It's a bit like playing charades where no one knows the rules, and everyone's just hoping for the best.

Nietzsche’s little gem reminds us that while we’re all trying to understand each other, our personal moral languages can be more like an episode of a lost soap opera. We’re all speaking different scripts, trying to make sense of each other’s lines while wondering why there’s always a misunderstanding.

Nietzsche’s point reminds us that while we all strive to communicate and understand each other, our individual moral languages can create barriers. We’re all navigating these differences, trying to find common ground even when our values and interpretations don’t always align. 

It’s not you. It’s not them. It’s just that we’re all living in our own quirky, private moral universes, trying to figure out how to connect in a world where good and evil can feel like they’re speaking entirely different languages. It’s this effort to bridge the gaps between our diverse perspectives that shapes our interactions and relationships.

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