Ah gentlemen, so many pond to ponder (or mine fields to negotiate ?) . if only we could get ourselves a couple of hours in the sun, on the terrace of a convivial pub, we could really get to grips with this.

I'm wondering though, in what way was/is Nietzche's philosophy 'misunderstood'? Many decades ago I spent a lot of time with Mr. Zarathustra. As best as I understood him he would not have criticised Hitler and crew for being inhumanly wrong. He would rather have belittled them for not having been strong enough, clever enough or ruthless enough in their quest to be supermen.
Nietzches 'philosophy' was and is inherently immoral and thereby its fruits.
Go well ><>

Comment is about Mensch (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Dorothy

Soon I'll have my keyboard back
And wine to drink with meals
I've had to last damn six weeks dry
What a rotten deal ?

Comment is about My IPad Door to WOL (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Then I will, and I shall. I think I already do!
Thank you Jason! ?
Mae

Comment is about It's True (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Yes you must, you definitely must.

J. x

Comment is about It's True (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Don
I like the way you tell the 'story,' the economy of words and the strong rhythm.

It can't be long now before you get your keyboard back.

Dorothy

Comment is about My IPad Door to WOL (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Hey! Thanks for all the love! We're actually releasing an entire book of poetry on here that our band, Cannibal Jones' music is based off of. If you'd like to see what it led to, here's our YouTube link

www.youtube.com/channel/UC1RtsU2w8-7vCn5osXizn8A

In the mean time, there will be much more to come!
Thanks Again and keep your writing spirit alive!

-Cannibal Jones

Comment is about Vautaw (poet profile)

Original item by Vautaw

congratulations to your dad for achieving 92 years of age.
I am not there yet but it is my goal to hit 100.
after that it's all downhill!
haha

Comment is about Jon Darby (poet profile)

Original item by Jon Darby

The Nazis were enormously hypocritical cynics who abused the notion of suum cuique. THEY decided what was just or unjust. Even in allegedly democratic states like the UK upper class judges and magistrates judge the actions of young working class men whose lives these judges know nothing of. Who judges the judges? Men who have the same material and educational priviliges that the judges enjoy. "To each his own" or "to each what he deserves" requires the kind of level playing field yhat is completely absent in advanced capitalist societies. Also, I do not think there was anything inevitable about the rise of the Nazis or the willful misreading of Neitzche's philosophy that accompanied the rise of the NSDAP.. If the French had not insisted on crippling reparations after WW1 then the Weimar republic may have prospered. Hind sight is a wonderful thing indeed.

Comment is about Mensch (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

John - I'm not bothered, Fish, Afish, Sir Fish ?, its only a handle by which to toss the pancake.
John, Wolfgar-
Do you not think that Neitzche's 'ideas' combined together with certain other 'ideas' that blossomed at that time, once 'accepted', inevitably would lead to Buchenwald? Is it not just the flower bearing its logical fruit?
That people would become concentration camp guards is indeed understandable and yes there but for 'fortune' go you and I -but- does that mean that it is therefore -excusable-?
Even in - Jedem das seine - is there not implied a notion of personal responsibility for our actions?
><>

Comment is about Mensch (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Hi Jennifer (Sorry I haven't replied before) and Rose, thanks for the comments. I wrote this after watching 'At Eternity's Gate' with William Dafoe. I loved it.

Jon

Comment is about Through Van Gogh's eyes (blog)

Original item by Jon Stainsby

Congratulations, Trevor.

Comment is about The Poem of the Week is 'Imogen – 10 months old' by Trevor Homer (article)

Original item by Stuart Buck

Mystical. Tortured. Sublime. ?

Comment is about Cyclops (blog)

Original item by The Black Bile

Love it!

Comment is about Red (blog)

Original item by The Black Bile

"People didn't reach out
too wrapped up with their life"

There are other 'key' lines, but for me, these stand out.
There is an uncomfortable truth to this poem.

Little courtesies and thoughtful acts add up to a much kinder world but rudness seems to be fashionable ow

Dorothy

Comment is about No-one Was A Winner (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Thanks to Nigel, Rose and Mona for liking.
Thanks Rose for reading and commenting I like writing in this style sometimes. But I just felt I had to end it this way otherwise there is the fear of taking myself a bit too seriously.
Cheers

Comment is about Feckless youth (blog)

Original item by Martin Elder

We are in a parlous condition at the moment, aren't we? These are nothing if not 'interesting times' for us all. How, or even whether we make it through all this, it will be no thanks to 99% of us alive today. We have a lot to answer for and if only those who will have to suffer for our selfishness and ignorance could demand that explanation, face to face I think we'd all burn with shame as we gave it. It's only because we will never have to account for ourselves to them that we are so slow to act. It's funny, isn't it, that so many of us shout, "what about the children? Who will think of them?" even as we do the very opposite. Rank hypocrisy, I call it.

Comment is about My Mea Culpa To The Future (blog)

Original item by Richie Muster

The stark reality is that all things are finite...but at least there is the
awareness that can delay what may have always been inevitable.
It's more a question of time and expectations. Certainly, the
"emerging nations" seek their place in the sun as far as the perceived
benefits of progress are concerned - with India reported to be set on
being wealthier per head than the UK and similar nations in the not
too distant future. How that is compatible with so much poverty and
homelessness in that country has yet to be explained. But at least
there can be no homegrown excuse not to address those problems
while the country comes to terms with its responsibilities towards
the manageable survival of its wild life. Ditto - other such countries.
The end of the world may be nigh - but not just yet.

Comment is about My Mea Culpa To The Future (blog)

Original item by Richie Muster

great poem!
one day Imogen will read this
and cry.

Comment is about The Poem of the Week is 'Imogen – 10 months old' by Trevor Homer (article)

Original item by Stuart Buck

I sadly agree with Dorothy, Rich and Martin. I know what the cause is - greed, money and me first. As a society we have become infected and while strict laws are not brought in to 'get us under control' it will continue. Seems we have this inbuilt I, Me, My bugger everyone else. It makes me angry..

But.....

Politicians make the laws. Good one Don. But politicians are in bed with developers, big business and money providers.

And so......

The circus goes round, and round, and round......

I rest my case.

Comment is about My Mea Culpa To The Future (blog)

Original item by Richie Muster

Hi Jon-firstly cheers matey for all of your past support. I love this poem and what a great loss he was to the world of art. The film jennifer refers to is the one starring Kirk Douglas as Vincent. If you haven't seen it do so, brilliant film!

catch you later dude.



Rose ?

Comment is about Through Van Gogh's eyes (blog)

Original item by Jon Stainsby

Truly beautiful...

Comment is about The Poem of the Week is 'Imogen – 10 months old' by Trevor Homer (article)

Original item by Stuart Buck

Lovely poem, Trevor, I can imagine the scene. Well done on POTW. Really good poem.

Comment is about The Poem of the Week is 'Imogen – 10 months old' by Trevor Homer (article)

Original item by Stuart Buck

Thanks dear Fish! Last Letter, huh? I like it!
Thank you?
Mae

Comment is about Last Letter (Epigram #2) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Thank you to David (Wolfgar) and to afishamongmany (my abbreviation to 'Fish' is not meant to be derogatory , it is just that afishamongmany is very lettery - but sod it, I've typed it twice now!!). This poem was partly produced by a long process of thought about Neitzche's ideas and how they've been used and abused; partly by a re-reading of 'The Reader' (German: Der Vorleser) the novel by German judge Bernhard Schlink and partly by thinking about how easy it is for us living in relative freedom from hunger/torture/summary execution to condemn those who conform(ed) in order to survive in totalitarian states like Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, Whabbi Saudi Arabia, the Shia theocracy of Iran, Communist China, the list goes on.

Comment is about Mensch (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Thank you Jason, Mae, Desmond, and Julia for reading and liking.. Means a lot..

Comment is about Horror (blog)

Original item by mona s

Keith
A very perceptive insight from you.. It's about intense feelings indeed..
Thanks for reading and appreciating ..

Comment is about Horror (blog)

Original item by mona s

I agree with Rich.
Extinction means extinction, we can never return to the way things should be -

People who hunt for pleasure justify it as 'natural'
over eating meat is equally justified.

Felling trees without replacing every one of them should be made illegal.

We have become undisciplined and unaware of our esponsibilities, pleasure is king.

So sad.


Dorothy

Comment is about My Mea Culpa To The Future (blog)

Original item by Richie Muster

Yes Mae personally I prefer this one. Shuffles feet - May a suggest an alternative title? Last Letter?
?><>

Comment is about Last Letter (Epigram #2) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Hello Cindylee - I liked your poem because it works, it's got a lot of -life- in it. But ? I don't agree with its content. I've learnt over the years that doing things -my- way is a dead end.
Go well
><>

Comment is about NOT GONNA FOLD (blog)

Original item by cindylee loucks

Thanks Jason and Dorothy.
Aunty? Maybe even Big Brother. ?
A question that always interests me is, Who decides what the 'the news' is?
><>

Comment is about Here is the News (blog)

Original item by afishamongmany

Jason though you might enjoy this -

Said Zebedi nonchalantly sipping his tea Rhyme can be sublime but sometime a chime a chant a twisting slant that ignores you can't can be the plant that bears the rarest fragrantest flower that rears the shining climbing tower that awakens sleeping weeping cowards to see and say hooray hooray today came some really cool communication surprising inspiration such a sweet and strange sensation and please let's not forget in the creative sweat every asset by which the poet is beset alliteration personification metronomic syncopation and oh yes punctuation said Zebedi pouring yet another mug of best builders tea.
?

Comment is about afishamongmany (poet profile)

Original item by afishamongmany

Hi Jason - Really glad you enjoyed. Good poetry doesn't -have to - rhyme - but - it always has been and always will be a - major - possible component of - good poetry.
Go well ><>

Comment is about afishamongmany (poet profile)

Original item by afishamongmany

Hi John - Great quote from Mr. Sandburg - a stand alone poem even.
For me poetry (nay even all artistic expression) boils down to one word 'communication', which always gives rise to three (judgemental) questions - What is being communicated? How is it being communicated (quality-effectiveness)? Why is it being communicated?
But distinctions between prose and poetry can sometimes be useful. ? ><>

Comment is about Mensch (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Hi Martin - I must agree with you. I believe it's already too late. We're living through the anthropogenic catastrophe. All of us must wake up and realise what our species has done, is doing, and will continue to do. For our followers in time, their choices will be severely restricted. We've already done it. Too late now.

Comment is about My Mea Culpa To The Future (blog)

Original item by Richie Muster

I wish I shared your optimism, M.C., but I fear that we're already too far gone down the road of unenlightened self-interest and wanton (self-)destruction to address any issues in any meaningful way. China alone lays enough concrete every 3yrs to pave over the USA; we are using plastics at too high a rate ever to recycle them all, we lose 3.5% of all insect biomass year-on-year (culminating in total loss in approx. 100yrs' time) and we have lost nearly 60% of all animal life on earth since 1970. And even now, politically we lurch ever farther to the right, with 'populist' politicians the world over either in the grip of climate-change denial or in the pockets of big business and relaxing, not tightening conservation laws. It is my belief that we are singularly failing to address anything.

Comment is about My Mea Culpa To The Future (blog)

Original item by Richie Muster

Thanks a lot dear Don!?

Comment is about Before I Go (Epigram #1) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Ah Mae... how 'womb to tomb' just rolls off the tongue. A phrase so simple which has never occurred to me before. Well done....

Comment is about Before I Go (Epigram #1) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Hello Fish

Thank you very much for noticing that this poem escapes the limits of the conventionally 'poetic'. I 'spose it depends what one means by poem. I agree with Carl Sandburg: " Poetry is the journal of a sea animal living on land, wanting to fly in the air."

John

Comment is about Mensch (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Thanks so much Jon; very glad you liked it.

Ray

Comment is about CLOSING THE CIRCLE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

No lo entiendo pero me gusta!

Comment is about Un soneto para tí (blog)

Original item by Cat_Siren00

You've got to love syllable based humour. Brilliant!?

J.

Comment is about Haiku For Beginners (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Very well put Jason! ?I suppose you're right. It's sheer temptation sometimes, you know!?
Mae

Comment is about Before I Go (Epigram #1) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Nothing wrong with that so nothing to forgive. Eloquence is the brush we paint with, so there's nothing wrong with using a bit of flourish sometimes.

J. x

Comment is about Before I Go (Epigram #1) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Oh yes! Happens all the time... Some times I strive to find something worth saying just to use a nice phrase... May God forgive me?
You too, huh?!?
Mae

Comment is about Before I Go (Epigram #1) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Robert the rebel rides out, hid the aardvarks. ?

Comment is about The re-election (blog)

Original item by Robert C Gaulke

Ah, you do that too!?

Comment is about Before I Go (Epigram #1) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Really love that bio, as a commited rhymer I truly enjoy a poem with meaning but it's even better when it's really enjoyable to say as well.

J.?

Comment is about afishamongmany (poet profile)

Original item by afishamongmany

Thank you my dear Jason! I had it in my notebooks for far too long and didn't know what to do with it. Seems like it fit well into this one!
Thank you ?
Mae

Comment is about Before I Go (Epigram #1) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman

Yes, I'd have to agree with Dorothy, great poem, brilliant line.

J.

Comment is about Here is the News (blog)

Original item by afishamongmany

I do love this for it's brevity and the amount of meaning packed into it, but my favourite part of all is, "From womb to tomb," that my friend is just brilliant.

J. x

Comment is about Before I Go (Epigram #1) (blog)

Original item by Mae Foreman