Balance

Allen Ginsberg - Howl

This was a depressing read.  It was almost as bad as Heller.  

Ginsberg portrayed addiction, chasing the next hallucination is what life becomes.  One thought I had was I hope they straighten out and settle down because I feared for their safety.  But living safely becomes living to pay off the mortgage and getting the kids to school.  I think to get anywhere in life it has to be a balance of not holding on to what we have to an extent that it prohibits us from expanding our consciousness.  But the picture I have of expanding consciousness doesn’t include addiction and chasing hallucinations.  

I think this discussion provides a good framework to analyze Nietzsche.  His idea of the priestly and aristocratic ethic does have some currency with me, but reading the oval portrait also makes me think that we have to consider those around us.  In my life I find that I need the support of the people around me to succeed and they need me as well.  In my first reading of Nietzsche I didn’t find a consideration for others.  I could buy into a hermit like solitude, but not the abusively selfish attitude found in the oval portrait.