Acrobat Nietsche Thus Spoke Zarathustra

S: “I want to be an acrobat and walk the tightrope, but I’m afraid.”

A: “You will always be your own worst enemy.”

S: “How? I want to be a great acrobat like you, but society doesn’t value artists. How will I make a living?”

A: “No one’s holding you back. What’s holding you back is your own fear.”

Here, the acrobat gently guides the student to recognize that the fear of society’s judgment and financial instability originates from within, not from external factors.

The Power of Desire and Thought

A: “Your fears arise from your thoughts. Do you agree?”

S: “I agree.”

A: “So where do your thoughts arise from?”

S: “They arise from my desires.”

S: “How do I drop desire?”

A: “Desires fall away on their own through understanding.”

A: “So you believe that society doesn’t value artists, and if society doesn’t value artists, you’ll never make any money. Is that right?”

S: “That’s right.”

A: “Let’s examine that.”

A: “People respect you when you live according to their values. But if you live according to someone else’s values, you’ll never respect yourself.”

S: “You’re completely right. Thank you for talking me through this.”